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 decrease in customers comes at a crucial time, after years of hardships for local restaurateurs. — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026

Co-owner and Fort Worth restaurateur Chris Jordan aims to officially open by the end of June. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026

The Vanderpump Hotel is the restaurateur’s 40th concept, and her most ambitious yet. — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026

Longtime Sacramento-area restaurateur and owner Ernesto Delgado said these years since the pandemic have been the hardest in his career. — Steve Large, CBS News, 1 July 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