proprietress
Americannoun
-
a woman who owns a business establishment.
-
a woman who has the exclusive right or title to something.
Gender
See -ess.
Etymology
Origin of proprietress
First recorded in 1685–95; propriet(o)r + -ess
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Khadijo Warsam, proprietress of the Zahra Cafe stall was feeling some relief.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
It’s what’s for dinner in Juzo Itami’s delightful 1985 comedy about the proprietress of a rundown roadside noodle shop.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2022
The cast is undeniably B-list, and genre conventions cling to their roles like barnacles: the world-weary but wise cafe proprietress, the hooker with a heart of gold.
From New York Times • Nov. 17, 2020
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
“But our customers like it,” says the proprietress.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
