entrepreneur

[ahn-truh-pruh-nur, -noor, ahn-truh-pruh-nœr]

noun

plural

entrepreneurs 

1. a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.

2. an employer of productive labor; contractor.

verb (used with object)

1. to deal with or initiate as an entrepreneur.

verb (used without object)

1. to act as an entrepreneur.

entrepreneur

/ ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜː, ɑ̃trəprənœr /

noun

1. the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits

2. a middleman or commercial intermediary

entrepreneur

1. One who starts a business or other venture that promises economic gain but that also entails risks.

Other Word Forms

• entrepreneurial adjective
• entrepreneurship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of entrepreneur¹

First recorded in 1875–80; from French: literally, “one who undertakes (some task),” equivalent to entrepren(dre) “to undertake” (from Latin inter- inter- + prendere “to take,” variant of prehendere ) + -eur -eur; enterprise

Word History and Origins

Origin of entrepreneur¹

C19: from French, from entreprendre to undertake; see _enterprise

Example Sentences

Another highlight is contained in “Trucks,” where Guzman-Lopez praises the immigrant entrepreneurs from around the world who come to L.A. and name their businesses after their hometowns.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The Welsh government said its specialist advice service Business Wales was committed to supporting female entrepreneurs.

Read more on BBC

He writes that a flexible labour market is key for India to attract entrepreneurs, as China did decades ago, to bring capital, technology, and global links - catalysts for economic transformation.

Read more on BBC

The result was an impassioned plea for a looser regulatory approach to new technologies, less hostility to successful companies and financial reforms to let Europe funnel more capital toward its own entrepreneurs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That’s why the British press is full of stories about entrepreneurs and other high earners exploring options to emigrate.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• administrator 
• contractor 
• executive 
• manager 
• producer