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

In an update, the restaurateur said Food Geeks will close indefinitely. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026

Retaining Cole’s historic ambiance was important to the restaurateurs. — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Trade Minister Serge Papin met representatives of retailers, trade federations, artisans, restaurateurs, banks and insurers to discuss the damage and measures to help affected businesses recover. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Milwaukee developer David Karademas and Abbey Kemph, the restaurateur behind Leilani Asian Fusion, stand in the ground floor space of The Mayan building at 77 Stolp Ave. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 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