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proprietor

[ pruh-prahy-i-ter ]
/ prəˈpraɪ ɪ tər /
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noun
the owner of a business establishment, a hotel, etc.
a person who has the exclusive right or title to something; an owner, as of real property.
a group of proprietors; proprietary.
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Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of proprietor

First recorded in 1630–40; propriet(ary) + -or2

OTHER WORDS FROM proprietor

pro·pri·e·to·ri·al [pruh-prahy-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-], /prəˌpraɪ ɪˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr-/, adjectivepro·pri·e·to·ri·al·ly, adverbpro·pri·e·tor·ship, nounnon·pro·pri·e·tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use proprietor in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for proprietor

proprietor
/ (prəˈpraɪətə) /

noun
an owner of an unincorporated business enterprise
a person enjoying exclusive right of ownership to some property
US history a governor or body of governors of a proprietary colony

Derived forms of proprietor

proprietorship, nounproprietorial (prəˌpraɪəˈtɔːrɪəl), adjectiveproprietress or proprietrix, fem n
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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