entrepreneurship

IPA/ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːʃɪp/
KK[ˌɑntrəprənˈɚʃɪp]IPA/ˌɑːntrəprəˈnɜːrʃɪp/

entrepreneurship — noun

1. the ability and willingness to create and manage a new business venture, taking

1.nounB2
Definition

the ability and willingness to create and manage a new business venture, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit, often by identifying unmet needs in a market

Example

Priya's entrepreneurship turned a small food stall into a chain of twenty restaurants.

possessive name + entrepreneurship + result clause

The university's center for entrepreneurship helps students launch their first business ideas.

center for + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • develop entrepreneurship
  • promote entrepreneurship
  • encourage entrepreneurship
  • social entrepreneurship
  • tech entrepreneurship
  • entrepreneurship program
  • entrepreneurship skills
  • entrepreneurship course
Synonyms
  • enterprise

    broader term that can refer to a business organization or to initiative in general, not limited to starting new ventures

  • venture

    emphasizes a specific risky business project rather than the overall skill or activity

  • innovation

    focuses on new ideas and methods and can apply outside of business contexts

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Frequently modified by adjectives such as 'social', 'tech', or 'creative' to specify the type of venture (e.g., 'social entrepreneurship').

Common Mistakes

He studied entrepreneur at university.
He studied entrepreneurship at university.
'Entrepreneur' refers to a person; 'entrepreneurship' is the field or activity.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'entrepreneurship' specifically refers to the skill of starting and running a business venture while taking risks, 'enterprise' is a broader term that can refer either to a business organization or to general resourcefulness and initiative. 'Venture' emphasizes a specific business project or undertaking that involves risk, whereas 'entrepreneurship' describes the overall activity or mindset behind such projects. 'Innovation' focuses on introducing new ideas or methods and can apply entirely outside of commercial contexts — a scientist can innovate without being an entrepreneur. 'Initiative' highlights the ability to act independently and take the first step, but it lacks the commercial and risk-taking dimensions that are central to entrepreneurship. For example: 'Her entrepreneurship turned a concept into a company. Her innovation was the product itself. Her initiative got the project off the ground.'

enterprise ↗venture ↗innovation ↗initiative ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • spirit of entrepreneurship
  • culture of entrepreneurship
  • path of entrepreneurship

Phrases

  • entrepreneurship program
  • entrepreneurship course
  • entrepreneurship center

Prepositions

  • in entrepreneurship
  • through entrepreneurship

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Entrepreneurship comes from the French noun 'entrepreneur' (one who undertakes), which traces back to the Latin verb 'inter' (between) and 'prendere' (to take or grasp). The English suffix '-ship' was added to turn 'entrepreneur' into a noun describing the condition or activity of being an entrepreneur. The term gained widespread use in business and economics during the 20th century.