restaurateur
Americannoun
noun
Spelling
The English word restaurateur , borrowed from French, still exists in modern French in the same form and with the same meaning. The variant spelling restauranteur , influenced by the more familiar English word restaurant , is gaining some currency, but has traditionally been considered erroneous.
Usage
Although the spelling restauranteur occurs frequently, it is a misspelling and should be avoided
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of restaurateur
1790–1800; < French; Middle French: restorer < Late Latin restaurātor, equivalent to Latin restaurā ( re ) to restore + -tor -tor
Vocabulary lists containing restaurateur
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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.
See Examples For:
Southern Californian restaurateur Rafi Khan had a clear vision for a new food outpost on a 20-acre ranch he leased in Riverside County earlier this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
The restaurateur is the third generation of his family to run Wattana Panich, famed for the geriatric “mother stock” that forms the backbone of its signature beef noodle soup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Chef and restaurateur Ramsay, 59, has completed a number of Ironman and ultramarathon events in recent years.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
"You can have Japanese food, you can have Austrian food, you can have always the best steak," the Austrian-born restaurateur told AFP, as he seared a juicy tomahawk at a Tuesday press preview event.
From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026
When Apu became a restaurateur, he called his restaurant Curry in a Hurry. rhythm.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
It’s not just restaurateurs who are tapping into their appeal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
Davis said that many online commenters seemed to object both to tipping and service charges, even as restaurateurs struggle to raise menu prices to keep pace with the soaring costs of food and rent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
Shyaporn Theerakulstit, Chacha Tahng and Faye Tamasa have some nice moments as Thai restaurateurs who welcome the Sardinas’ family into their own.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
Other restaurateurs have alleged she offered to review their food or post photos on her social media account as her payment, while still others have accused her of simply walking out, without paying.
From BBC ● Nov. 26, 2025
Jule is one of the noted restaurateurs of the city, having attained high celebrity before the fire.
From Bohemian San Francisco Its restaurants and their most famous recipes—The elegant art of dining. by Edwords, Clarence E. (Clarence Edgar)
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.
