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 two restaurateurs aren’t the only ones operating a modern Mexican concept. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025

The restaurateur relates his gritty childhood and rise in the dining scene. —The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025

Now, operated by the famed restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, the View is making a bid for something beyond travel-guidebook oblivion. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 May 2025

Obviously, the father of boomer Instagram is none other than restaurateur Keith McNally. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French restaurateur, from Late Latin restaurator restorer, from Latin restaurare

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