noun

entrepreneur

ahn-truh-pruh-NUR/ˌɑːntrəprəˈnɜːr/

A person who starts and runs a business, taking financial risks.

The entrepreneur builds her ceramics stall and serves customers buying her handmade pottery.

A compact two-stage illustration follows the same woman establishing a small ceramics business and then operating it: she assembles her bare sales stall beside unpacked handmade stock, then serves a paying customer at the completed stall.

Etymology

entreOld Frenchbetween

+prenOld Frenchto take

+eurFrenchone who

The prefix and 'take' root formed a verb meaning 'undertake' or 'take in hand.' An entrepreneur is someone who takes an undertaking in hand, with the meaning narrowing to managing a business venture.

In context

Scott D. Clary - Success Story Podcast41:15

bit of that to whatever you're building, like you have such a competitive advantage. Well, we live in an era, this is the greatest moment in time to become an entrepreneur and a business owner because let's look at this.

What It Really Takes to Build an Empire | Robert Croak - Silly Bandz Creator

More examples

Local entrepreneurs open shops in the old warehouse.
As an entrepreneur, he handles everything from hiring to sales.
An entrepreneur may lose money before the business becomes profitable.

Forms

entrepreneur · entrepreneurs

entrepreneurial adjective — Relating to starting and running businesses.

entrepreneurship noun — The activity of starting and running businesses.

Similar words

founder: A founder establishes an organization but may not run it.
businessperson: A businessperson works in business without necessarily starting a company.