private enterprise Business carried on for profit and not owned by the government; also, the system that discourages public ownership of business; the same as free enterprise. (See private sector.)

Private enterprise is industry and business which is owned by individual people or commercial companies, and not by the government or an official organization.

private enterprise uncountable noun Private enterprise is industry and business which is owned by individual people or commercial companies, and not by the government or an official organization.

Private enterprise is a noun that means free enterprise, or the economic activity of individuals or private businesses. See the word history, usage examples, and related words from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Private enterprise is a business that is not controlled or owned by the government, or an economic system based on such businesses. Learn about the features, examples, and challenges of private enterprise, and how it differs from public enterprise and capitalism.