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

"We are suffering a lot," said Kishor Dulera, a tile unit proprietor who closed this factory and two others in early March, sending hundreds of workers home.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

From a technical standpoint, Brent rising to $200 or even $240 a barrel is “becoming more likely,” Andrew Addison, proprietor of the Institutional View research service said in a note Sunday.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

The same could be said of Lesli Margherita’s Mrs. Lovett, the proprietor of a filthy and failing Fleet Street pie shop, but it’s a shakier case.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

Family and friends were able to support borrowers through new, so-called joint borrower, sole proprietor mortgages.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

“Irish International Side’s just put in an order for seven of these beauties!” the proprietor of the shop told the crowd.

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling