entrepreneur
/ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːr/
noun
Origin
French
entreprendre — to undertake
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.
- One who initiates a commercial venture or manages an enterprise.
Literal older meaning
one who undertakes
Language path
Old French → Middle French → French → English
Earliest form
entrepreneur
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The term was solidified in economic theory by Richard Cantillon in the 18th century to distinguish those who buy at certain prices to sell at uncertain prices, emphasizing the assumption of risk as the defining characteristic of the role.
Evolution
- Old French (12th century)
entreprendre
“to undertake, to seize, to attempt”
Formed from 'entre-' (between) and 'prendre' (to take).
- Middle French (15th century)
entrepreneur
“contractor, one who undertakes a task”
Used initially for individuals managing public building projects.
- 18th century
entrepreneur
“commercial adventurer”
Popularized by economists like Richard Cantillon.
- English (19th century)
entrepreneur
“a person who organizes and operates a business”
Adopted as a loanword into English.
Connections
Word parts
entre-
prefix
between, among
prendre
root
to take
-eur
suffix
agentive suffix denoting a person
Related across languages
French
entreprendre
to undertake
Spanish
emprendedor
entrepreneur
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Related to entrepreneur
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.