Biz

Biz is a playful shorthand people use in various contexts, including serious settings like work meetings and casual ones like texting friends. For example, your coworker may use it offline when discussing a corporate matter ("the biz is loving the market right now"), or your friend may use it online to tell someone to leave them alone ("mind your own biz").

The origins of "biz" date back to at least the early 1860s, specifically 1861 in the New York Clipper, a theatrical and sporting newspaper, as a phonetic abbreviation. The term then gained massive traction in the entertainment industry, becoming the common phrase "show biz" (or "showbiz") by the mid-20th century. Since it has existed in the public lexicon for many years, most people are familiar with the abbreviation.