proprietor

American  

[pruh-prahy-i-ter] / prəˈpraɪ ɪ tər /

noun

1. the owner of a business establishment, a hotel, etc.

2. a person who has the exclusive right or title to something; an owner, as of real property.

3. a group of proprietors; proprietary.

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proprietor British  

/ prəˌpraɪəˈtɔːrɪəl, prəˈpraɪətə /

noun

1. an owner of an unincorporated business enterprise

2. a person enjoying exclusive right of ownership to some property

3. history a governor or body of governors of a proprietary colony

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Other Word Forms

• nonproprietor noun
• proprietorial adjective
• proprietorially adverb
• proprietorship noun
• proprietress noun

Etymology

Origin of proprietor

First recorded in 1630–40; propriet(ary) + -or ²

Example Sentences

Elsewhere, many agencies operate with only a business license and a sole proprietor or small staff.

From The Wall Street Journal

The fatherly proprietor of a Times Square ping-pong parlor where Marty trains?

From The Wall Street Journal

The proprietors of Desert 5 Spot in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood also pride themselves on having an eclectic playlist.

From The Wall Street Journal

To keep costs low, the couple looks for contractors who are sole proprietors and don’t have to cover the overhead of a big company.

From The Wall Street Journal

Many people picture a successful entrepreneur as a loner—a sole proprietor who comes up with an idea and works alone to make it a reality.

From The Wall Street Journal