Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Old French
Origin: entreprise, from entreprendre 'to undertake', from prendre 'to take'

enterprise

 noun
     
Related topics: Business Basics, Companies
en‧ter‧prise W2
1 [countable]BB a company, organization, or business:
commercial enterprises such as banks and food manufacturers
state/public enterprise especially British English (=one owned by the government)
2 [uncountable]BBC the activity of starting and running businesses:
the management of state enterprise (=done by the government)
 ➔ free enterprise, private enterprise
3 [countable] a large and complicated project, especially one that is done with a group of other people [= initiative]:
The programme is a joint enterprise with the London Business School.
4 [uncountable] the ability to think of new activities or ideas and make them work:
We're looking for young people with enterprise and creativity.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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