entrepreneur

noun

en·tre·pre·neur | \ ˌäⁿn-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər ,

-ˈn(y)u̇r \

Definition of entrepreneur

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

Other Words from entrepreneur The Characteristics of an entrepreneur Example Sentences Learn More about entrepreneur

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Other words from entrepreneur

entrepreneurial \ˌäⁿn-trə-p(r)ə-ˈn(y)u̇r-ē-əl,

-ˈnər- \ adjective

entrepreneurialism \ˌäⁿn-trə-p(r)ə-ˈn(y)u̇r-ē-ə-li-zəm,

-ˈnər- \ noun

entrepreneurially \ˌäⁿn-trə-p(r)ə-ˈn(y)u̇r-ē-ə-lē,

-ˈnər- \ adverb

entrepreneurship \ˌäⁿn-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər-ˌship,

-ˈn(y)u̇r- \ noun

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 in 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

The rapper has teamed with tech entrepreneur Summer Watson, who has worked at TuneIn and Playdom, to launch hip hop app heir. — Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, "Pusha T Launches Hip Hop App," 12 July 2018 Attendees can connect with local entrepreneurs and business owners. — Allison Hagan, BostonGlobe.com, "Business agenda," 12 July 2018 The stylist, accidental beauty entrepreneur, and, now, icon of agelessness, radiated something beyond great genes and a lit-from-within sunniness. — refinery29.com, "Linda Rodin’s Rise To Accidental Style Icon," 12 July 2018 In 2015, dozens of academics, entrepreneurs, and CEOs—including the cofounders and CEOs of Lyft, Handy, and Instacart—signed a manifesto calling for such a system. — Miranda Katz, WIRED, "How an App Could Give Some Gig Workers a Safety Net," 9 July 2018 His tech obsession also led to a friendship with Silicon Valley entrepreneur Kevin Rose, which in turn led to a successful investment in Blue Bottle Coffee. — Si.com Staff, SI.com, "How Joey Chestnut Dominates July 4, Tony Hawk's Other Major Talent and More," 6 July 2018 The new Jetta will be ideal for ride-hailing entrepreneurs, young families and converts who will appreciate its comfort and long warranty. — Mark Maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2019 Volkswagen Jetta: 7th generation wide-body reboot," 6 July 2018 On Thursday, Prince William headed to Scotland to attend a war memorial service, meet with entrepreneurs, and give out several royal medals. — Megan Friedman, Harper's BAZAAR, "William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan All Have Different Titles in Scotland," 5 July 2018 Zhang, a charismatic entrepreneur, conveyed a curious admixture of economic determinism and capitalism that paired well with the communist and Chinese flags that flanked his desk. — Michael D. Breidenbach, The Atlantic, "Raising the American Flag Made in China," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entrepreneur.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.