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
Under the new administration, proprietors and workers are preparing for the worst.
—
Brett Anderson, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Nearly 100 years later, the proprietors of the Algonquin are taking the lead in the cultural conversation again.
—Paula Conway, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
The bait shop proprietor, whom Benjamin said is in her 80s, hadn’t been heard from in more than 24 hours.
—J.j. McCorvey, NBC News, 12 Jan. 2025
How Does TurboTax Deal With Self-Employment? TurboTax accommodates LLCs and REMICs that file a Form 1040 and related schedules, sole proprietors and partnerships, and S-corps.
—PCMAG, 5 Jan. 2025
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Brett Anderson, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Nearly 100 years later, the proprietors of the Algonquin are taking the lead in the cultural conversation again.
—Paula Conway, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
The bait shop proprietor, whom Benjamin said is in her 80s, hadn’t been heard from in more than 24 hours.
—J.j. McCorvey, NBC News, 12 Jan. 2025
How Does TurboTax Deal With Self-Employment? TurboTax accommodates LLCs and REMICs that file a Form 1040 and related schedules, sole proprietors and partnerships, and S-corps.
—PCMAG, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for proprietor
Dictionary Entries Near proprietor
Cite this Entry
“Proprietor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proprietor. Accessed 20 Feb. 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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