How to pronounce
Entrepreneur
/ˌɑn.trə.prə.ˈnɜr/
US English
/ˌɑn.trə.prə.ˈnɜr/
UK English
/ˌɒn.trə.prə.ˈnɜː/
Entrepreneur is pronounced ON-truh-pruh-NUR (/ˌɑn.trə.prə.ˈnɜr/), four syllables with the main stress on the last one. The ending "-neur" sounds like "nur" (rhyming with "her"), not "newer" or "noor". It's a French loanword, which is why the stress falls at the end rather than the start.
Pronunciation Guide
Syllables
on · truh · pruh · NUR
Stressing an early syllable and dropping the final "-neur"; it should build to the stressed ending on-truh-pruh-NUR.
Ends like the person who takes the risk gets the "nerve" — say it "…pruh-NUR".
Why “Entrepreneur” is hard to pronounce
It's long, French, and stressed on the final syllable — all of which fight English instincts. English words usually stress earlier, so people put the emphasis on "ON" or "truh" and then trail off. The "-eur" ending is unfamiliar and gets guessed as "newer" or "noor" instead of the correct "nur". Four syllables plus an end-stress plus a foreign vowel is a lot to get right at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce "entrepreneur"?
How is the "-neur" ending pronounced?
Which syllable is stressed in entrepreneur?
Tap the mic, say “entrepreneur”, then stop.
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