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

The restaurateur envisioned a boilerplate abuelita’s house, which could represent Bad Bunny’s, or his, or anyone’s. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026

Speakers at the event include Kenneth Cole, fashion designer and social activist; Gabby Karan de Felice, restaurateur and Karan’s daughter; Rebecca Moses, fashion designer, illustrator and author, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, politician, lawyer and diplomat. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026

The reopening marks both a handoff between restaurateurs and a broader shift in one of South Austin’s most recognizable dining rooms. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026

An early architect of this return to effortless French glamour is restaurateur Cody Pruitt, who opened the cozy chalkboard bistro Libertine in the West Village in 2023. —Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 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