Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

bootstrap

verb, noun

/ˈbuːtstræp/

Definition

To start or develop a process or project with minimal resources.

Examples

As a verb: They decided to bootstrap their startup, relying on personal savings to get it off the ground.
As a noun: The company was built from the ground up; it was purely a bootstrap project with no outside funding.

Meaning

The term ‘bootstrap’ often refers to the act of pulling oneself up by one’s bootstraps, which means to improve one’s situation without external assistance. It is commonly used in business and technology to describe starting a venture or technology without significant outside investment.