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
While there’s a comfort to the classic steakhouse, plenty of proprietors have pushed the envelope by experimenting with aging, sourcing high-quality beef from around the world, incorporating global flavors, and playing with live-fire cooking.
—
Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2025
As the proud proprietors of delicacies like pineapple casserole and pear salad, Southerners are no stranger to seemingly odd flavor combinations.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
In Colorado, Christian proprietors have been repeatedly targeted for exercising their free exercise of religion.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
These adjustable boards also offer newfound flexibility, scalability, and investor security for independent gym proprietors, helping to turn smaller cities and even towns of fewer than 50,000 people into viable climbing markets.
—Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
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Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2025
As the proud proprietors of delicacies like pineapple casserole and pear salad, Southerners are no stranger to seemingly odd flavor combinations.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
In Colorado, Christian proprietors have been repeatedly targeted for exercising their free exercise of religion.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
These adjustable boards also offer newfound flexibility, scalability, and investor security for independent gym proprietors, helping to turn smaller cities and even towns of fewer than 50,000 people into viable climbing markets.
—Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 17 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 30 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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