proprietor
noun
pro·pri·e·tor
prə-ˈprī-ə-tər 
1
: one granted ownership of a colony (such as one of the original American colonies) and full prerogatives of establishing a government and distributing land
2
a
: a person who has the legal right or exclusive title to something : owner
b
: one having an interest (such as control or present use) less than absolute and exclusive right
Examples of proprietor in a Sentence
She is the proprietor of the store.
the proprietor of a used-car dealership
Recent Examples on the Web
The local ingredients are transformed into magical dishes by chef/proprietor Ubaldo Martínez whose open-kitchen uses rustic techniques such as firewood ovens and grills.
—
Sherrie Nachman, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
This bill would have allowed independent contractors and sole proprietors to establish portable benefits accounts.
—David Santiago, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
There’s one other element to the refresh that will appeal to small-business owners and sole proprietors: The first-ever Sapphire business card will also launch on June 23.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2025
The film stars Vince Vaughn as Peter La Fleur, a charismatic underachiever and proprietor of a rundown gym called Average Joe’s, and Ben Stiller as White Goodman, the power-mullet-sporting, Fu-Manchu-d, egomaniacal owner of Globo Gym, a gleaming monolith of fitness.
—Lesley O'Toole, Variety, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
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Sherrie Nachman, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
This bill would have allowed independent contractors and sole proprietors to establish portable benefits accounts.
—David Santiago, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
There’s one other element to the refresh that will appeal to small-business owners and sole proprietors: The first-ever Sapphire business card will also launch on June 23.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2025
The film stars Vince Vaughn as Peter La Fleur, a charismatic underachiever and proprietor of a rundown gym called Average Joe’s, and Ben Stiller as White Goodman, the power-mullet-sporting, Fu-Manchu-d, egomaniacal owner of Globo Gym, a gleaming monolith of fitness.
—Lesley O'Toole, Variety, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for proprietor
Cite this Entry
“Proprietor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proprietor. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
proprietor
noun
pro·pri·e·tor
prə-ˈprī-ə-tər
: one who has legal right or exclusive title to something : owner
also
: one (as a lessee) having an interest (as control or present use) less than absolute or exclusive right
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