owner

noun

own·​er ˈō-nər How to pronounce owner (audio)
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

Examples of owner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The most successful influencers can earn thousands of dollars in foreign advertising revenue per video, say Afghan owners of YouTube channels, a striking figure in a country where a monthly salary of a few hundred dollars counts as good income. Rick Noack, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 After Dalton takes the job and begins intimidating some of the bar's rowdy clients, he and its owner are threatened by a group of men wanting to take control of the property. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Property owners and facilities managers are still trying to find the sweet spot for this. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Cruz was the owner of the vehicle and Gomez was the pilot, according to the complaint. Brammhi Balarajan, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 Ortiz, owner of Tacos Rick-O Food Truck, told CharlotteFive. Deanna Taylor, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024 Current owners will be notified to bring their Blazer EVs to Chevrolet dealers once the software update is available. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2024 While the house in Saltburn may seem compelling, its real-life owner Charles Stopford Sackville would like fans of Emerald Fennell‘s hit film to stop trespassing on his property. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2024 Still, owner David Tepper, who has watched the franchise falter up close, decided to promote Morgan to Fitterer’s former post. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'owner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of owner was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near owner

Cite this Entry

“Owner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/owner. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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 landDessen 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

More from Merriam-Webster on owner

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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