Enterprise Meaning
/ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA company, business, organization, or other purposeful endeavor.
nounAn undertaking, venture, or project, especially a daring and courageous one.
Sentence Examples
Scott is an entrepreneur with much spirit of enterprise.
If it had not been for his help, we would have failed in our enterprise.
He is in charge of an enterprise with a turnover of $26 billion.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Starting a new business ____ requires careful planning and taking risks.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Launching a space mission is a massive ____ that requires global cooperation.
Word Origin & History
From Old French via Middle English and Middle French entreprise, feminine past participle of entreprendre (“to undertake”), from entre (“in between”) + prendre (“to take”), from Latin inter + prehendō, see prehensile.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This loss of interest, hair, and enterprise — / Ah, if the game were poker, yes, / You might discard them, draw a full house! / But it's chess."
— 1954, Philip Larkin, Continuing to Live:
"Charles Mordaunt Earl of Peterborow[…], with only 280 horse and 950 foot , enterprised and accomplished the Conquest of Valentia"
— 1733–1737, Alexander Pope, [Imitations of Horace], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley [et al.]:
"The business must be enterprised this night."
— 1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada:
"Him at the threshold met, and well did enterprize."
— 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Starting a new business ____ requires careful planning and taking risks.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Launching a space mission is a massive ____ that requires global cooperation.