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

Synonyms of proprietor

• owner

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 blaze caused extensive damage to the store’s floor before the proprietor extinguished it, the feds say. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026

Co-owner Adah Fitzgerald, a 2001 graduate of Davidson College, purchased the independent bookstore from its original proprietors more than a decade ago. — Brennan Long, Southern Living, 7 July 2026

He was sent by the Pennsylvania Assembly to work with the Penn family, who were the proprietors of the colony, to settle a taxation dispute. — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

But perhaps more troubling is that Google, the proprietor of the world’s primary research tool, has rolled out AI Overviews that can indiscriminately take in fake material and authoritatively spit it back out as real. — Justin Elliott, ProPublica, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of proprietary entry 2, by substitution of -or entry 1 for -ary entry 1

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing proprietor

• co-proprietor

Rhymes for proprietor

• quieter

Kids Definition

proprietor

noun

pro·​pri·​etor

p(r)ə-ˈprī-ət-ər

1

: a person to whom ownership of a colony is granted

2

: a person who is owner

the proprietor of the store

proprietorship

-ˌship

noun

Legal 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