Where does “enterprising” come from?
Enterprising comes from English enterprise, from Old French entreprendre meaning "to undertake," ultimately from Latin inter- and prendere meaning "to take between or among."
enterprising (English): Displaying bravery and daring in attempting some...
Definitions
- Displaying bravery and daring in attempting some...
Ancestry of “enterprising”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | enterprise | A company, business, organization, or other... |
| 2 | Middle French | entreprise | Alternative form of entreprinse |
| 3 | Old French | entreprendre | to capture; to take; to abduct; to undertake; to... |
| 4 | Old French | prendre | to take |
| 5 | Latin | prendere | third-person plural perfect active indicative of... |
| 6 | Latin | prehendere | third-person plural perfect active indicative of... |
| 7 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |