What does enterprise mean?
Enterprise is a noun with three closely related senses. Most commonly today, it means a company or business organization, as in 'a growing enterprise.' It can also refer to a bold, ambitious project or undertaking — the building of the transcontinental railroad was a vast enterprise — and, especially in British English, to the personal qualities of initiative, energy, and resourcefulness that make such ventures possible. The word carries strongly positive connotations: to describe something as an enterprise suggests courage, vision, and effort, and 'enterprise' as an abstract quality is prized in business and public life alike. Common fixed expressions include 'free enterprise' and 'private enterprise,' which denote an economic system based on privately owned business rather than state control. Derived forms include the adjective 'enterprising,' describing someone full of initiative. From everyday startups to historic feats of engineering, 'enterprise' captures the human impulse to attempt something demanding and worthwhile.
nounA project or undertaking, especially one that is bold, difficult, or important. Also, a business company, or the quality of initiative and resourcefulness shown in starting one.
- A company or business organization, often a commercial venture.
- A bold or difficult project or undertaking.
- Initiative, resourcefulness, and willingness to take risks; entrepreneurial energy.
"The tunnel was a remarkable feat of engineering enterprise."
"She built a thriving software enterprise from a single laptop in her bedroom."
"Restoring the wetlands was an ambitious enterprise that took over a decade."
The plural is regular and typically refers to multiple businesses or undertakings.
"The conglomerate oversees enterprises ranging from shipping to publishing."
Enterprise and surprise are close cousins — both trace back to the same Latin verb meaning 'to seize,' so an enterprise is literally something you seize upon.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enterprise
Enterprise entered English in the early 15th century, borrowed from Old French 'entreprise,' the feminine past participle of 'entreprendre,' meaning 'to undertake,' formed from 'entre-' ('between') plus 'prendre' ('to take'), ultimately from Latin 'prehendere' ('to seize'). It thus literally suggests taking hold of or seizing upon a task. The same Latin root gives English other borrowings through French, including 'comprise' and 'apprentice,' and the related word 'entrepreneur' arrived later, in the 18th century.
Related word forms
How enterprise is actually used
In British English, 'enterprise' frequently carries a positive connotation of initiative and drive (as in 'enterprise culture'), while in American English it more commonly denotes a company or business. In formal contexts such as government and economics, phrases like 'private enterprise' contrast commercial activity with state control. The word can be slightly grand in tone when describing projects, lending them a sense of ambition and scale.
Easily confused with enterprise
An entrepreneur is a person who starts businesses, while an enterprise is the undertaking or business itself.