proprietor
noun
pro·pri·e·tor
prə-ˈprī-ə-tər 
1
: one granted ownership of a colony (such as one of the original American colonies) and full prerogatives of establishing a government and distributing land
2
a
: a person who has the legal right or exclusive title to something : owner
b
: one having an interest (such as control or present use) less than absolute and exclusive right
Examples of proprietor in a Sentence
She is the proprietor of the store.
the proprietor of a used-car dealership
Recent Examples on the Web
Diporto has no menu—dishes are read out by the curmudgeonly but beloved proprietor Dimitris Koliolios.
—
Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025
The series, which premiered in 2020, follows a group of mostly Black women who work at a strip club called The Pynk, which is owned by nonbinary proprietor Uncle Clifford.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 8 Oct. 2025
Notably, its proprietor Neal Mello has earned local acclaim for being able to accurately assess the pant size of most anyone walking through the door.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2025
Coffee shops in Jimbōchō are mostly the old-school variety called kissa, with hands-on proprietors marrying classic pour-overs with a niche interest.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
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Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025
The series, which premiered in 2020, follows a group of mostly Black women who work at a strip club called The Pynk, which is owned by nonbinary proprietor Uncle Clifford.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 8 Oct. 2025
Notably, its proprietor Neal Mello has earned local acclaim for being able to accurately assess the pant size of most anyone walking through the door.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2025
Coffee shops in Jimbōchō are mostly the old-school variety called kissa, with hands-on proprietors marrying classic pour-overs with a niche interest.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
Cite this Entry
“Proprietor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proprietor. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
proprietor
noun
pro·pri·e·tor
prə-ˈprī-ə-tər
: one who has legal right or exclusive title to something : owner
also
: one (as a lessee) having an interest (as control or present use) less than absolute or exclusive right
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