owner

noun

own·​er ˈō-nər 

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

Synonyms

• holder
• possessor
• proprietor

Examples of owner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Earlier this year, the home’s owner was listed as Glory of the Snow LLC, managed by Emerald Lake hedge fund manager Dan Lukas and his wife, Anne Jarmain. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2023

Surprisingly, Consumers Already See Mushrooms as Effective Natural Remedies Business owners should note a sea change in the public’s approach to health. —Robert Johnson, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2023

More than 400 residents and business owners have responded so far to a survey that Carroll County’s Technology Services created to gather information about access to broadband internet connections. —Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2023

The price was $520,000 and the new owners took over the house in August. —cleveland, 8 Sep. 2023

The revelations in Isaacson’s book have reignited concerns about the influence that SpaceX and Musk, as its owner, wield over the war in Ukraine. —Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2023

Sigman is facing criminal charges in the girl’s death, including murder, but a wrongful death suit filed last month against the former instructor, the pizza restaurant and its owner is also seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages. —Alexis Stevens, ajc, 8 Sep. 2023

Each bears the surname of its owner, Donald J. Trump. —Sam Roberts, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2023

Several other cases against Mr. Barker and the producers were settled out of court, decisions Mr. Barker attributed to the show’s owners over the years. —Robin Webb, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English oȝener, ouner, owener, auner, perhaps continuing Old English āgnere, from āgnian "to own, possess" + -ere -er entry 2 — more at own entry 2

Note: Though this etymology is possible, there is a significant gap between the Old English noun and the first attestation of an owner etymon (oȝener in Dan Michel's Ayenbite of Inwyt, ca. 1340). The modern verb own is unattested before the late sixteenth century, so if the Middle English noun is a new formation, it must be a derivative of the adjective.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing owner

• slave owner
• co-owner
• part owner
• owner-occupier
• owner-occupied

• slave owner
• co-owner
• part owner
• owner-occupier
• owner-occupied

Legal Definition

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

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

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

was the beneficial owner of property held by the parent corporation

: 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

received a tax bill as record owner of the land

called also owner of record