restaurateur

noun

res·​tau·​ra·​teur ˌre-stə-rə-ˈtər 

variants or less commonly restauranteur

ˌre-stə-ˌrän-ˈtər 

: the operator or proprietor of a restaurant

Did you know?

Restaurateur Has French Roots

Restaurateur and restaurant are French words from Latin restaurare, meaning "to restore." Of the two words, restaurant is more common—a fact that may have influenced the development of the variant spelling restauranteur for restaurateur. Some people consider restauranteur to be an error, but it is still on the menu as an acceptable word choice.

Examples of restaurateur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Off the Grid will run a six-week activation featuring events and art, including a free three-week workshop, pairing veteran restaurateurs with aspiring brick-and-mortar owners. —Kenny Choi, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026

The deals can provide a boost for restaurateurs during what is normally a slow month after the busy holiday season, said Paul Nguyen, chief economic development officer for the City of Hayward. —Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026

Attendees rub elbows with everyone from local restaurateurs and rum distillers to celebrity chefs, all while sampling tasty food and drink. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026

What’s next for Sacramento’s food scene Who better to cast a prognostication on the future of food in Sacramento than our very own chefs and restaurateurs? —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 1 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "restorer, proprietor of a restaurant," going back to Middle French, "restorer," borrowed from Latin restaurātor, from restaurāre "to return to its former condition, restore" + -tor, agent suffix

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for restaurateur

• entrepreneur
• amateur
• connoisseur
• kieselguhr
• monseigneur
• procureur
• retransfer
• saboteur
• silencer
• voyageur
• birr
• blur

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Kids Definition

restaurateur

noun

res·​tau·​ra·​teur ˌres-tə-rə-ˈtər 

variants also restauranteur

-ˌrän- 

: a person who owns or runs a restaurant