proprietor

pro·pri·e·tor | \ prə-ˈprī-ə-tər

Definition of proprietor

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

2a : 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

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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 Here’s Austene Van, dispensing wisdom and gallons of hairspray as the proprietor, Truvy. — Dominic P. Papatola, Twin Cities, "Theater review: Stale ‘Magnolias’: Guthrie chooses tepid show that’s all gossip and one-liners," 7 Nov. 2019 The Burgundian proprietor, on the other hand, is quite likely to drive up to the door of the winery on a tractor, be slightly late for the appointment, and wear dirty jeans and rubber boots, having come from the vineyards. — Jay Mcinerney, Town & Country, "Pick a Side in the Great Red Wine Wars: Bordeaux or Burgundy?," 4 Nov. 2019 The changes restore some degree of normalcy for homeowners and business proprietors, who for the last month lived with a total ban on use of the three lakes and Lake Gonzales. — Peggy O’hare, ExpressNews.com, "Portions of three Guadalupe River lakes officially reopened," 23 Oct. 2019 Keith was a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and was the sole proprietor of Benefit Plans Unlimited, a health insurance brokerage. — courant.com, "Keith J. Bell," 29 Oct. 2019 All are among the list of property owners and investors that collectively face losses if WeWork, the troubled proprietor of co-working spaces, is no longer able to pay its bills. — Stephen Gandel, CBS News, "Here's who's holding the bag for Adam Neumann's $1.7 billion WeWork payday," 24 Oct. 2019 Dominic Zumpano is a co-proprietor of The Gallery in Lake Forest, which is a combination of an art gallery and a restaurant. — Daniel I. Dorfman, chicagotribune.com, "Shout Out: Dominic Zumpano, Lake Forest restaurateur," 7 Oct. 2019 Bird has been the proprietor of CatBird.ca for 12 years, facilitating funding for artists in the music, film and digital arts sector as an independent grant writer and consultant. — Hannah Malach, Billboard, "Executive Turntable: Moves at RFD-TV, BMG Production Music, The Orchard, Linus Entertainment & More," 13 Sep. 2019 Sirus, the proprietor of the establishment, estimated that that six scoops probably equaled about 2,000 pounds. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "Can You Tow With Front-Wheel Drive?," 2 Sep. 2019

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

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Last Updated

3 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Proprietor.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proprietor. Accessed 9 December 2019.

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More Definitions for proprietor

proprietor

noun

English Language Learners Definition of proprietor

formal : a person who owns a business or property

See the full definition for proprietor in the English Language Learners Dictionary

proprietor

noun

pro·pri·e·tor | \ prə-ˈprī-ə-tər

Kids Definition of proprietor

: a person who owns something : owner

proprietor

noun

pro·pri·e·tor | \ prə-ˈprī-ə-tər

Legal Definition of proprietor

: 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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