owner

noun

own·​er ˈō-nər 

plural owners

: a person who owns something : one who has the legal or rightful title to something : one to whom property belongs

business/property owners

He and his sister are owners of the restaurant.

We were able to return the wallet to its rightful owner.

—often used in combination

dog-owners and cat-owners

Synonyms

• holder
• possessor
• proprietor

Examples of owner in a Sentence

the owner of the building will have to decide whether or not to sell

Recent Examples on the Web

On the midsize Toyota Tacoma, owners are only sometimes seeing improvements. —Michael Harley, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

According to the sheriff’s office, the store’s owner noticed inconsistencies with company records and asked detectives to investigate. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024

Endeavor, owner of the WME talent agency, is set to go private after struggling on the public market. —Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024

The owner of a day care where a 1-year-old boy died of fentanyl poisoning and three other children were sickened pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges, resolving a case that horrified New York City and underscored the scourge of the nation’s fentanyl epidemic. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oȝener, ouner, owener, auner, perhaps continuing Old English āgnere, from āgnian "to own, possess" + -ere -er entry 2 — more at own entry 2

Note: Though this etymology is possible, there is a significant gap between the Old English noun and the first attestation of an owner etymon (oȝener in Dan Michel's Ayenbite of Inwyt, ca. 1340). The modern verb own is unattested before the late sixteenth century, so if the Middle English noun is a new formation, it must be a derivative of the adjective.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing owner

• co-owner
• owner-occupied
• owner-occupier
• part owner
• slave owner

Legal Definition

owner

noun

own·​er

: one with an interest in and often dominion over property: as

a

: legal owner in this entry

b

: one with the right to exclusive use, control, or possession of property

c

: a purchaser under a contract for the sale of real property see also equitable owner in this entry

— beneficial owner

: one holding a beneficial interest in a trust compare beneficial interest at interest sense 1

: one enjoying the benefit of property of which another is the legal owner

was the beneficial owner of property held by the parent corporation

: one who has or shares the power to control the voting or investment of stock

was considered the beneficial owner of stock held by her minor children

— equitable owner

: one (as a beneficiary of a trust) who is considered to have rights or obligations of an owner regardless of legal title on the ground of equity

do not have legal title but, upon execution of the contract, they became equitable owners and have power to sue to protect their land

—Dessen v. Jones, 551 N.E.2d 782 (1990)

— legal owner

: one who has legal title to property

broadly : one determined by law to own property

— naked owner

in the civil law of Louisiana : an owner of property burdened by a usufruct

— record owner

: one who is the owner of property (as land or stock) according to current appropriate records

received a tax bill as record owner of the land

called also owner of record