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
David Folkenflik, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025
The Virgil Abloh Foundation, established by Shannon Abloh and her family to continue the legacy of her late husband, designer and entrepreneur Virgil Abloh, has named Dana Loatman as its first executive director.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 26 Feb. 2025
That's a victory for America, Britain, and countless entrepreneurs building the next generation of AI applications.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Working with indigenous communities, these intrepid entrepreneurs locate and harvest the heirloom pods, teach critical drying and fermentation techniques, and make connections with international markets.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Entrepreneur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entrepreneur. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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entrepreneur
noun
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