entrepreneur

noun

en·​tre·​pre·​neur ˌän-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər 

-ˈn(y)u̇r,

ˌäⁿn-

: one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise

entrepreneurship

ˌän-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər-ˌship

-ˈn(y)u̇r- 

ˌäⁿn-

noun

Did you know?

The Characteristics of an Entrepreneur

You might well wonder whether entrepreneur simply means “a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money” or whether it carries an additional connotation of far-sightedness and innovation. The answer, perhaps unsatisfyingly, is that it can go in either direction.

Entrepreneur has been used in English to refer to a kind of businessman since at least the middle of the 18th century, when it appeared in translation of the King of Prussia’s instructions for his generals (“. . . if the country happens not to abound in forage, you must agree with some Entrepreneur for the quantity required.”). During the 19th century, it was also used of a go-between or a person who undertakes any kind of activity (as opposed to just a business).

By the early 20th century entrepreneur appears to have taken on the connotation of go-getter when applied to an independent business owner, a quality that may also be found in the phrase entrepreneurial spirit, which began being used at about the same time.

Examples of entrepreneur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, Silicon Valley's success is rooted in its venture capitalists and its culture of risk-taking entrepreneurs. —Tim Bajarin, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

The city’s leaders and entrepreneurs hope that the snowball effect will continue to roll down Silicon Slopes. —Dardan Pula, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024

Likewise, Diego Fenoglio, an entrepreneur and founder of Rapanui, a chain of ice cream bars in the country, says Milei’s government is on the right track. —Hanna Ziady, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024

To be sure, there was ample reason for excitement among crypto investors, crypto entrepreneurs, and pro-crypto donors who gave hundreds of millions of dollars to pro-crypto politicians ahead of November’s election. —John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from entreprendre to undertake — more at enterprise

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

entrepreneur

noun

en·​tre·​pre·​neur ˌän-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər 

-ˈn(y)u̇r

: one who organizes, manages, and takes on the risks of a business or enterprise