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

Big-name restaurateurs had their rent and startup costs subsidized. — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Entry is granted personally by Emilio Vitolo, the actor and restaurateur who presides over the downtown New York institution. — Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2026

Rauschkolb, a restaurateur who grew up surfing nearby, says that's just wrong. — Debbie Elliott, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026

The new American fusion and nightlife concept comes from Charlotte restaurateur Chet Desai, who is also part of the team behind Pinhouse bar, OneSixty Cocktails & Kitchen and PARA Charlotte in South End. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 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