enterprise

/ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/

//ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"enterprise" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enterprise” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,750 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,750
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A company, business, organization, or other purposeful endeavor.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

enterprise vs enterprises
91% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for enterprise
PropertyValue
Headwordenterprise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#3,750
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “enterprise” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). enterprise lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for enterprise is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,750 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for enterprise, with forms such as "enetrprise", "ennterprise", and "enteprrise". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "enterprises", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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. The correct English form is enterprise, spelled E-N-T-E-R-P-R-I-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A company, business, organization, or other purposeful endeavor.
  2. 2
    An undertaking, venture, or project, especially a daring and courageous one.
  3. 3
    A willingness to undertake new or risky projects; energy and initiative.
  4. 4
    Active participation in projects.

Etymology

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.

Synonyms

businesscompanyenterprisefirm

This word in other languages

empresa(Español)entreprise(Français)Unternehmen(Deutsch)empresa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: enetrprise,ennterprise,enteprrise,enterpirse,enterpprise,enterpries,enterprisse,enterprrise,enterprsie,enterrpise,enterrprise,entreprise,entterprise,etnerprise,neterprise

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of enterprise - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

enetrprise2ennterprise1enteprrise2enterpirse2enterpprise1enterpries2enterprisse1enterprrise1
Edit distance from "enterprise"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "enterprise"?
"enterprise" is spelled E-N-T-E-R-P-R-I-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/.
What does "enterprise" mean?
As a noun, "enterprise" means: A company, business, organization, or other purposeful endeavor.
What words are commonly confused with "enterprise"?
"enterprise" is commonly confused with "enterprises". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "enterprise"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enterprise" is /ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "enterprise"?
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. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “enterprise”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-T-E-R-P-R-I-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛntəˌpɹaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “enterprises” - see the side-by-side comparison. enterprise vs enterprises
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list