Meaning & use
proprietor
A person who owns and typically runs a business, such as a shop, restaurant, or hotel.
See it in a sentence
The proprietor of the small bookstore greeted every customer by name.
As sole proprietor, she handled everything from ordering supplies to hiring staff.
A note on using this word
Proprietor is slightly more formal than "owner" and often implies the person also actively manages the daily operations.
Words with a similar meaning
owneroperator
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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