owner

noun own·er \ ˈō-nər \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

plural owners

: a person who owns something : one who has the legal or rightful title to something : one to whom property belongs

business/property owners

He and his sister are owners of the restaurant.

We were able to return the wallet to its rightful owner.

—often used in combination

dog-owners and cat-owners

See owner defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of owner from the Web

The day before, the news outlet's editorial board filled the newspaper's opinion pages with protests - representing a remarkable rebellion against the owners responsible for continual staff cuts at the paper over the past few years.

— meagan flynn, chicagotribune.com, "In the editorial pages of the Denver Post, a rebellion against its 'vulture capitalist' owners," 9 Apr. 2018
In fact, not much else was changed until the original owners decided to put the three-level, two-bedroom home on the market.

— mary jo bowling, Curbed, "A 684-square-foot architectural gem gets a polish at California’s fabled Sea Ranch," 9 Apr. 2018
However, the longtime owners of the building, Jim and Lori Dalton, want to sell it to someone who will restore it.

— joyce smith, kansascity, "Former Plate restaurant building for sale in East Brookside | The Kansas City Star," 9 Apr. 2018
Whether the owner of the Pontiac G6 bought the vehicle from a dealer was unclear.

— holly v. hays, Indianapolis Star, "Dad dies saving daughter from icy pond. The car's brakes had been recalled.," 9 Apr. 2018
Although the driver - later determined to be 15 years old - had stolen the bus from a church, the owner declined to press charges for the theft, the sheriff's office said later.

— keri blakinger, Houston Chronicle, "Stolen school bus in Fort Bend sparks wild police chase featured on A&E show," 8 Apr. 2018
The kennel owners eventually pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.

— Fox News, "Sen. Jeff Flake's son seeks new civil trial against Joe Arpaio," 8 Apr. 2018
In Clermont, however, where there’s new growth of higher value, more than 75 percent of the owners of 8,730 houses would reap the full benefit, and the city would have to fill a 7-percent hole in its budget.

— lauren ritchie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Property owners beware — tax 'cut' up for a vote likely to be a fake reduction," 7 Apr. 2018
Each example will be fitted to the exact sizing and specifications of the owner via an extensive fitting process.

— Fortune, "The Best Non-Car Stuff to Buy From Bentley, Porsche, and BMW," 7 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'owner.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of owner

before 12th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

owner Synonyms

Financial Definition of OWNER

beneficial owner

noun

What It Is

The beneficial owner is the individual or entity that enjoys the benefits of owning an asset, regardless of whose name the title of the property or security is in.

How It Works

Beneficial ownership commonly refers to two situations:

1. Under U.S. securities law, a beneficial owner enjoys either sole or shared power regarding voting rights in a stock. According to the SEC, this right extends to include stock or securities owned by one person even if the title is held by another person or entity.
2. Beneficial ownership can also refer to a situation where an individual or entity holds the right of ownership even if the stock is registered with another entity, such as a brokerage house. In this case, while the brokerage firm is actually shown as the holder of the security, the investor is the beneficial owner.

For example, Bob buys 100 shares of stock in Company ABC via a brokerage house. Even though the stock is recorded under the broker's name, Bob is the beneficial owner.

Why It Matters

Beneficial ownership is a convenient and safe way of owning stock, especially for investors who want to hold securities without the responsibilities of voting or becoming involved in corporate actions.

To learn more about the best brokers for beginner investors, check out 6 Low Commission Brokers that Make Our Cut. If you're looking for brokers with more advanced trading platforms, click here to read Essential Trade Tools for the Advanced Investor.

Source: Investing Answers

OWNER Defined for Kids

owner

noun own·er \ ˈō-nər \

: a person who owns something

Law Dictionary

owner

noun own·er

: one with an interest in and often dominion over property: as

a : legal owner in this entry

b : one with the right to exclusive use, control, or possession of property

c : a purchaser under a contract for the sale of real property — see also equitable owner in this entry

— beneficial owner

1 : one holding a beneficial interest in a trust — compare beneficial interest at interest 1

2 : one enjoying the benefit of property of which another is the legal owner

was the beneficial owner of property held by the parent corporation

3 : one who has or shares the power to control the voting or investment of stock

was considered the beneficial owner of stock held by her minor children

— equitable owner

: one (as a beneficiary of a trust) who is considered to have rights or obligations of an owner regardless of legal title on the ground of equity

do not have legal title but, upon execution of the contract, they became equitable owners and have power to sue to protect their land
—Dessen v. Jones, 551 N.E.2d 782 (1990)

— legal owner

: one who has legal title to property; broadly : one determined by law to own property

— naked owner

in the civil law of Louisiana : an owner of property burdened by a usufruct

— record owner

: one who is the owner of property (as land or stock) according to current appropriate records