proprietress

American  

[pruh-prahy-i-tris] / prəˈpraɪ ɪ trɪs /

noun

1. a woman who owns a business establishment.

2. a woman who has the exclusive right or title to something.

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Gender

See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of proprietress

First recorded in 1685–95; propriet(o)r + -ess

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

proprietress

In counterpoint to the expanding mystery, much of which revolves around a seedy bar named the Birdhouse, is Graham’s cautious courting of the proprietress of a popular bakery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026

Farther down Tsentralna, at the Flower Cafe — which sells plants and bouquets as well as food — proprietress Tetiana Lytvynenko, 33, was serving up paninis and coffee.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2022

Eventually, in 2008, Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing moved to Long Island City, after its proprietress faced fines of $1,000 a day if she did not vacate her existing space.

From New York Times ● Jan. 21, 2022

There’s an uncomfortable scene in “Samurai Gourmet” when the protagonist can’t muster the courage to tell the intimidating proprietress of a Chinese restaurant that the heartless bowl of noodles she served him is bad.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2018

An old man at one of the tables clapped feebly, and Ignatius peered over the rim of the stage and saw that the proprietress was gone.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole