Other forms: enterprises
An enterprise is a bold undertaking, or a business venture. A risky enterprise, free enterprise, a commercial enterprise.
In software the word means large-scale and corporate — enterprise software is sold to organisations rather than people. Free enterprise is the political phrase for an economy left to private business. The French means something taken in hand.
1nounenterpriseA bold undertaking.
“Crossing the desert on camels was a risky enterprise.”
2nounbusinessA business venture.
“The new enterprise sells organic vegetables direct to local restaurants.”
enterprise is an undertaking.
enterPRISE → the business you hope will RISE
A big thing to try, and if it works the whole business will rise with it.
hooks ontorise
Old French entreprise is the past participle of entreprendre, to undertake — entre, between, plus prendre, to take.
Proto-Indo-European
*gʰed-
Middle French
entreprise
English, today
enterprise
Built from
From Old French - via Middle English - and Middle French entreprise, feminine past participle of entreprendre (“to undertake”), from entre (“in between”) + prendre (“to take”), from Latin inter + prehendō, see prehensile.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA