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Synonyms

entrepreneur

American  
[ahn-truh-pruh-nur, -noor, ahn-truh-pruh-nœr] / ˌɑn trə prəˈnɜr, -ˈnʊər, ɑ̃ trə prəˈnœr /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
entrepreneur Cultural  

  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

Etymology

Origin of entrepreneur

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Later in the year, he spent nearly a month in Africa meeting with crypto entrepreneurs and declared his intention to move to the continent for a few months.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dubai has in recent years become a hive of influencers, entrepreneurs and millionaires, enticed by the business-friendly and income tax-free city and the lavish lifestyles on offer.

From Barron's

That is because he's an entrepreneur and owner of The Date Sultan stand at London's Borough Market, where he sells fair-trade dates.

From BBC

"But also, we help the mid-size to small companies and entrepreneurs that now can buy, whether it's one piece of machinery or a large order, and make possible the Venezuelan dream."

From Barron's

He’s also enrolled in a school entrepreneur program that involves taking classes at a junior college that will qualify for college credits.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.