Enterprise
/ˈɛn.tə.praɪz/noun
A business or project undertaken with initiative and risk.
Did you know?The word entered English through Old French as a term for a bold undertaking, and its roots trace back to the same Latin source as words for “take” and “surprise,” making it a linguistic badge of risk and capture.
Etymological Timeline
Latin (classical)
Latin
prehendere
“to seize, grasp, capture”
Late Latin
Latin
interprehendere
“to seize between; to interrupt or intercept”
Old French
Old French
entreprendre
“to undertake; to set about a task”
14th Century
English
enterprise
“a bold undertaking or venture”
Modern English
English
enterprise
“a business, project, or undertaking requiring initiative and risk”