Meaning & use
business card
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A small card with your name, job title, company, and contact details that you give to people you meet.
Grammar: Countable noun: a business card, two business cards. Often used in the phrase 'exchange business cards'.
Patterns
- exchange business cards
- give someone your business card
- hand out business cards
She gave me her business card at the end of the meeting.
I always keep a few business cards in my wallet.
The design on his business card is very simple but elegant.
Word forms
| plural | business cards |
|---|
Common combinations
- exchange business cards
- In many cultures, people exchange business cards when they first meet.
- hand out business cards
- He stood at the entrance and handed out business cards to everyone.
- business card holder
- I bought a leather business card holder for my new job.
Synonyms and how they differ
- calling card
- A calling card is an old-fashioned term for a similar card, but it usually just has your name, not your job details.
- visiting card
- This is a British term for a card you leave when visiting someone, but it is not used for business networking.
Commonly confused: business card or business pass?
business card vs business pass
A business pass is a card that allows you to enter a building or event, while a business card is for giving your contact information.
Practice
When you meet a new client, it is polite to ______ your business card.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'exchange business cards'. 'Swap' and 'trade' are possible but less common in this context. 'Change' does not fit because you are not replacing one card with another.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “business card”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.