show business

Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry. From the business side, the term applies to the creative element and was in common usage throughout the 20th century, though the first known use in print dates from 1850. At that time and for several decades, it typically included the initial definite article the. By the latter part of the century, it had acquired a slightly arcane quality associated with the era of variety, but the term was still in active use. In modern entertainment industry, it is also associated with the fashion industry and acquiring intellectual property rights from the invested research in the entertainment business.