entrepreneur
noun
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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
Rem Oculee, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Well, that opportunity is about to come closer in Connecticut, as an entrepreneur who co-founded the Bombas sock and apparel company with a brother is opening three franchises of K-9 Luxury Pet Resorts.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2025
Some Tesla owners have sold their vehicles to distance themselves from the entrepreneur, while Tesla dealerships have been targeted and vandalized by anti-Tesla protestors.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
But figuring out how to tariff-proof your business or side hustle can take energy that some entrepreneurs don’t have, particularly those who either work alone or with a small team.
—Megan Sauer, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Entrepreneur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entrepreneur. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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entrepreneur
noun
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