An entrepreneur is a person who identifies opportunities, creates ventures, and assumes financial risk to bring innovative products or services to market. They typically organize resources, build networks, and drive growth, often balancing creativity with practical business planning. The term emphasizes initiative, leadership, and the pursuit of new value in competitive environments.
US: rhotic /ˌɑːn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/; UK: /ˌɒn.trə.prəˈnɜː/ with non-rhotic final /r/, Australian: /ˌɒn.trə.prəˈnɜː/. Vowel quality distinctions: /ɒ/ vs /ɑː/ in stressed first vowel; /ə/ mid central in the second syllable; /ɜː/ or /ɜːr/ for the final vowel depending on rhoticity. IPA references help track subtle shifts.
"The entrepreneur launched a tech startup after securing seed funding."
"She built a new brand by leveraging social media and a lean business model."
"Entrepreneurs must adapt quickly when market conditions shift."
"Many entrepreneurs collaborate with investors to scale their ventures."
The word entrepreneur comes from the French entreprendre, meaning to undertake or to undertake a project. In the 13th–16th centuries, the term referred to someone who undertook a project or business risk. By the 18th century, economic and philosophical texts in Europe used entrepreneur to describe a person who manages and assumes the risk of an enterprise. The modern sense—an individual who starts and runs a business venture—solidified through 19th- and 20th-century economic discourse, as industrialists and innovators were repeatedly labeled entrepreneurs for initiating ventures, securing capital, and organizing production. The word’s progression reflects shifts from artisanal crafts to modern capitalism, where opportunity recognition and risk-bearing define the role. The pronunciation began to align with English stress patterns while retaining the French-derived final syllable -preneur, which an English speaker typically pronounces as /prəˈnɔɪər/ in isolation or /-ˈɪər/ depending on accent. First known uses in English appeared in travel and business writing in the late 18th century, though the term became more common in the 19th century with the rise of industrial entrepreneurs. In contemporary usage, it denotes a proactive, opportunity-driven actor who combines innovation with strategic risk-taking to create value.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "entrepreneur" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "entrepreneur" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "entrepreneur" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "entrepreneur"
-ter sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce /ˌɒn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/ in UK or /ˌɑːn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/ in US (rhotic). Stress falls on the last two syllables: en-tre-pre- neur with primary stress on ne-? Wait: the common authoritative pattern is elle: /ˌɒn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/. Speak: on-trə-pruh-NUR. The syllable 'preneur' is pronounced like '/prəˈnɜːr/' or '/prəˈnɜr/' in US. Audio reference: see standard dictionaries and online pronunciation tools.
Common errors: 1) Overemphasizing the final syllable and making -neur sound like /nɔːr/; correct is /nɜːr/. 2) Flattening the middle syllables so it sounds like on-trə- PREN-yer; proper flow is on-trə-prə-ˈnɜːr with the stress on the last part. 3) Dropping the middle /ə/ or inserting a weak /i/ in /trə/; keep /trə/ with a schwa-like central vowel. Practice by chunking: on-trə-prə-NUR, not on-trə-prə-nar.
US: rhotic /ˌɒn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/ with clear final /r/. UK: non-rhotic or weakly rhotic; final /r/ may be non-pronounced or only lightly implied in careful speech. AU: rhotic but with Australian vowel quality often broader; final /r/ may be pre-rhotic or not strongly pronounced. Overall, the middle vowels maintain /ə/ sounds; main variation is rhoticity and vowel length.
Because it blends a French-rooted final cluster -preneur with English stress patterns. The sequence /trə/ followed by /prə/ can blur, and the final -neur often reduces to a schwa plus /r/. The primary stress lands on the final syllable group, which is less intuitive in everyday speech. Mastery requires careful articulation of /trə/ and /prə/ and the final /ˈnɜːr/.
Does the final -neur in entrepreneur behave like a separate syllable or a durational unit? It functions as a syllabic unit in most speakers: /prəˈnɜːr/. The tongue quickly transitions from /pr/ to /ə/ to /ˈnɜːr/, with the nucleus on the /nɜːr/ which carries primary weight. This makes the word feel longer and more dynamic in careful speech.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "entrepreneur"!
No related words found
