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
In 1951, Brennan's proprietor, Owen Brennan (Ralph’s uncle) was seeking an OG viral moment, and tapped chef de cuisine Paul Blangé to dream up a new special dessert to serve a local politician who was dining at the restaurant that evening.
—
Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
Often singing and playing his guitar, Handyman Negri would eventually become the proprietor of the neighborhood music shop.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 June 2026
Negri often appeared on screen singing and playing his guitar, and eventually became the proprietor of the neighborhood music shop.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 12 June 2026
On June 6, a man with a slightly receding hairline walked into a beachside tattoo stand in Chennai, India, showed the proprietor a message on a phone screen, and, with video recording the whole process, settled in to get a line of text apparently tattooed across his forehead.
—T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
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Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
Often singing and playing his guitar, Handyman Negri would eventually become the proprietor of the neighborhood music shop.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 June 2026
Negri often appeared on screen singing and playing his guitar, and eventually became the proprietor of the neighborhood music shop.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 12 June 2026
On June 6, a man with a slightly receding hairline walked into a beachside tattoo stand in Chennai, India, showed the proprietor a message on a phone screen, and, with video recording the whole process, settled in to get a line of text apparently tattooed across his forehead.
—T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
Cite this Entry
“Proprietor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proprietor. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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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