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
The proprietors, Italian natives Aniello and Emanuele, take great pride in making sure each dish is consistently good.
—
Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Keep in mind, the card is only available to corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs) or limited partnerships (LPs); sole proprietors are ineligible.
—Ryley Amond, CNBC, 29 Dec. 2025
When an escaped Eleven finds her way to a diner (the image of a bald Brown in a hospital gown shoving fries into her mouth is indelible), Brenner’s team impersonates social services, kills the kind proprietor, but fails to apprehend her.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
Sujan Sarkar, the chef and proprietor at Chicago’s Indienne, calls his tasting-menu spot the most expensive Indian restaurant in America and says all 90 seats are booked every night.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
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Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Keep in mind, the card is only available to corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs) or limited partnerships (LPs); sole proprietors are ineligible.
—Ryley Amond, CNBC, 29 Dec. 2025
When an escaped Eleven finds her way to a diner (the image of a bald Brown in a hospital gown shoving fries into her mouth is indelible), Brenner’s team impersonates social services, kills the kind proprietor, but fails to apprehend her.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
Sujan Sarkar, the chef and proprietor at Chicago’s Indienne, calls his tasting-menu spot the most expensive Indian restaurant in America and says all 90 seats are booked every night.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Dec. 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 6 Jan. 2026.
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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