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Glite Dictionary
owner

owner

∞ 1.0
A person who legally has something like a house or business
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊnər/
translation icon : propietario
  • I want to be a business owner of a major corporation.
  • business owner
  • copyright owner
  • property owner

One of the judges was the owner of his home club.

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Examples

  • We have three days left to pack before the new owners take possession of the house.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Please welcome Justin and Jasmine Allred, the owners of Morning Joy Co.

  • I know the owner of the prison.

    Lord of the Streets (2022)

  • The owner died and his kids are selling it out from under us.

    Absolution (2024)

  • So I might be the proud new owner of a random boat.

  • You, Sir, are the proud owner of this fantastic keyboard.

  • "I was under the impression the owner of this business had passed away."

    Fiction book (1990)

  • An immigration officer hands the passport back to its owner, who takes it and moves on.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Christie's the current owner of the Andy Warhol piece, right?

  • The manager introduced me to the owner of the restaurant, who was eager to discuss new menu items.

Synonyms

proprietor
vsowner
39 4.8

A person who owns a business or building

is the broader legal term that applies beyond businesses
possessor
vsowner
9 5.2

A person who owns something

focuses on legal status rather than general holding or control
ower
vsowner
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who has or controls something

is the common modern word for legal control
titleholder
vsowner
  • Specialized
4.1

A person or organization that legally owns property such as a house

stresses formal legal title rather than ordinary holding or control
rightful possessor
vsowner
  • Formal
5.8

A person the law allows to own or keep something

emphasizes lawful entitlement rather than mere current control
proprietarian
vsowner
8.4

A person who owns a business or property

is the broader legal term applying outside business contexts

Antonyms

tenant
248 3.0

A person who rents a house or apartment from a landlord

Compounds

property owner
30 3.5

A person who owns land or a building and is responsible for its care

slave owner
  • NSFW
15 6.9

Someone who keeps another person as property and forces them to work for no pay

part-owner
11 3.5

A person who owns something together with other people

plantation owner
4 3.9

A person who owns a large farm that grows crops like sugar or cotton

owner-occupied
1 3.5

A house or apartment lived in by the person who has it rather than by a renter

property owner
  • Texting
1 3.3

A person who owns virtual land or items in an online world

owner-driver
  • UK
4.1

A person who has a vehicle and uses it themselves for work or travel

owner-occupier
  • UK
4.8

A person who lives in a home they bought

How Controlling

overlord
21 8.4
padrone
  • Archaic
1 9.9
boss
∞ 1.0
employer
791 2.7
owner
∞ 1.0
proprietor
39 4.8

Surface Forms

owner singular
owners plural

Morphology

owner = own (transparent) = own + er

Agent noun formed regularly from the verb 'own' with the productive suffix '-er', meaning 'one who owns'.

Etymology

Owner comes from the simple verb own plus the ending -er, and own originally meant 'to have' or 'to possess'. So an owner is literally 'one who has' something, which explains the modern meaning of a person who legally owns or possesses an item or property.