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• enterprise
  enterprise

  noun

  a project undertaken or to be undertaken, especially one that is important or difficult or that requires boldness or energy.
• Enterprise
  Enterprise

  noun

  a city in southern Alabama.

enterprise

¹ American  

[en-ter-prahyz] / ˈɛn tərˌpraɪz /

noun

• enterprises
  plural

1. 

   a project undertaken or to be undertaken, especially one that is important or difficult or that requires boldness or energy.

   To keep the peace is a difficult enterprise.

   Synonyms:

   venture, undertaking, plan

2. a plan for such a project.

3. participation or engagement in such projects.

   Our country was formed by the enterprise of resolute men and women.

4. boldness or readiness in undertaking; adventurous spirit; ingenuity.

   Synonyms:

   ambition, push, aggressiveness, drive

5. a company organized for commercial purposes; business firm.

6. Military. none Enterprise the first nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1961, with a displacement of 89,000 tons (80,723 metric tons) and eight reactors.

7. U.S. Aerospace. none Enterprise the first space shuttle, used for atmospheric flight and landing tests.

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adjective

1. intended for use or consumption by a business firm rather than a consumer.

   enterprise security; enterprise software.

Enterprise ² American  

[en-ter-prahyz] / ˈɛn tərˌpraɪz /

noun

1. a city in southern Alabama.

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enterprise British  

/ ˈɛntəˌpraɪz /

noun

1. a project or undertaking, esp one that requires boldness or effort

2. participation in such projects

3. readiness to embark on new ventures; boldness and energy

4. 1. initiative in business

   2. ( as modifier )

      the enterprise culture

5. a business unit; a company or firm

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enterprise Idioms  

1. see free enterprise.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• enterpriser
  noun
• enterpriseless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• enterprises
  plural

Etymology

Origin of enterprise

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, noun use of feminine of entrepris (past participle of entreprendre “to undertake”), from Latin inter- inter- + prehēnsus, prēnsus, past participle of prehendere, prēndere “to grasp, seize,” equivalent to pre- pre- + -hendere “to grasp”

Explanation

Enterprise describes a readiness to act boldly to get something started, like the enterprise it takes to start a charity with only a dream and a few dollars. Another meaning of enterprise is "a business venture," like a frozen yogurt enterprise. It requires a lot of determination, hard work and the steady belief that people will love your yogurt. People will say you show extraordinary enterprise for your willingness to take on such a challenging project, meaning you have initiative and drive.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

enterprise Enterprise enterprises

Beyond hardware, Deutsche Bank highlighted consumer and enterprise platforms that are successfully charging for AI.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

When Gemini 4 Argon does finally reach enterprise customers, it could boast an enticing price.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Meta is starting a new unit to sell AI tools to enterprise customers, continuing its effort to expand beyond its core ad business and capitalize on its viral Muse agent, the Journal’s Meghan Bobrowsky reports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Unlike university sports in most countries, American college athletics is a vast commercial enterprise.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

First, the achievement of the revolutionary generation was a collective enterprise that succeeded because of the diversity of personalities and ideologies present in the mix.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Whitesides co-founded nonprofit organization Megafire Action to advocate for policy solutions to prevent massive wildfires and served as a member of the Antelope Valley Economic Development and Growth Enterprise board of directors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Along similar lines, consider a valuable report from the statistics expert Roger Pielke Jr. of the American Enterprise Institute and University of Colorado Boulder.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Mark Jamison is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the director and Gunter Professor of the Public Utility Research Center at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

Axon Enterprise stock falls after the Taser maker unveils its plans to raise $1 billion in debt.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

It began on January 20, 1850, when the HMS Investigator, captained by Robert McClure, and the HMS Enterprise, captained by Richard Collinson, left England in search of John Franklin and his men.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Measure LA would change the way public works are administered in Los Angeles, allow the city to lease its underused land to tenants and open the door to greater city involvement in business enterprises.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The list of failed enterprises bearing his family moniker is as long as it is embarrassing.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026

But there have been plenty of challenges for enterprises in rolling out and managing AI agents—among them cost, cybersecurity risks and the potential for too many agents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

The team also sees more spending on AI infrastructure as enterprises consolidate vendors and cut IT budgets.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

They had the essential feature of a Ponzi scheme: To maintain the fiction that they were profitable enterprises, they needed more and more capital to create more and more subprime loans.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• activity
• business
• company
• firm
• operation
• program
• project
• trade
• venture