Intrapreneur
/ˌɪn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/noun
An employee who develops innovative products, services, or ventures within an existing organization.
Did you know?The term was popularized in the 1980s by entrepreneur Robert Pinchot to describe employees who pursue entrepreneurial ideas from inside established organizations.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*preh₂-
“To seize or grasp; the distant ancestral root behind Latin words for taking hold.”
Classical Latin
Latin
prehendere
“To seize, grasp, or take hold of.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
intra
“Within or on the inside; the prefix later used in English for internal activity.”
12th Century
Old French
entreprendre
“To undertake or take something in hand; the source of English entrepreneur.”
18th Century
French
entrepreneur
“A person who undertakes or manages a business venture.”
1970s–1980s
English
intrapreneur
“A blend of intra- and entrepreneur, referring to an entrepreneur operating inside an existing company.”
Explore more surprising origins