commercial enterprise
4
3.4
- noun
- /kəˈmɜrʃəl ˈɛn.tərˌpraɪz/
- Partnering with school districts, individual schools, other charitable entities, and even commercial enterprises is a common strategy.
- small commercial enterprise
- new commercial enterprise
- large commercial enterprises
Examples
-
Many local small businesses are classified as commercial enterprises that aim to generate profit.
-
Increasing numbers of commercial enterprises and individuals that lawyers represent or might like to are on the Internet.
Academic text (1995) -
I do not do this as a commercial enterprise, nor am I paid in any way.
Academic text (2003) -
When the Internet became a commercial enterprise around 1995, it was a very controversial action.
Academic text (1999) -
Lithuanians had been active in commercial enterprises in the United States.
Academic text (1998) -
Irakau was renowned in the area for having organized his entire village into a successful commercial enterprise.
Academic text (1990) -
The service sector, which features financial and commercial enterprises, in 1988 accounted for 67 percent of GDP.
Academic text (1990) -
Trading companies are wholly owned by councils but operate as commercial enterprises, providing more opportunities to compete for contracts.
Academic text (2011) -
Several professional traders have little land but have been able to accumulate considerable capital from their commercial enterprises.
Academic text (1991) -
Several measures are in place to curb agricultural productivity, but the expansion of commercial enterprises remains virtually unchecked.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A business that makes and sells things or offers services for money
∞
1.0
Buying and selling goods or services to make money
420
3.8
A business often new and needing bold action
3
3.2
An organization that sells goods or services to make a profit
1
3.2
A company that sells goods or provides services, including its people
How Big
112
4.4
∞
3.7
4
3.4
∞
1.0
- Specialized
3
7.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly predictable from the parts: 'enterprise' denotes an organization or business and 'commercial' specifies trade/profit-related activity, so together they denote a business engaged in commercial activity. This adjective+noun composition is common across languages and follows regular English modification patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand it.
Etymology
Commercial enterprise comes from two simple words: commercial, meaning about buying and selling, and enterprise, meaning a project someone starts. Imagine a person starting a trading project, buying goods and selling them to earn money. That's why a commercial enterprise is a business set up 'to make a profit'.