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

Anecdotal evidence indicates the World Cup has been a boon for Arlington’s hospitality industry, with some restaurateurs and tavern owners saying revenue has exceeded their expectations. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026

The historic recipe for Benedictine spread was originally created by Jennie Carter Benedict, an iconic Kentucky restaurateur, cookbook author, and philanthropist. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 8 July 2026

Everybody Came to Tana’s is, first and foremost, a biography of the restaurateur. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026

Cooper first founded Danny and Coop's, which specializes in Philly cheesesteaks, alongside Philadelphia restaurateur Danny DiGiampietro as a pop-up food truck in 2023. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 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