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proprietorial

proprietorial

1 7.2
Acting as if you own something or control it
  • adjective
  • /prəˈpraɪəˌtɔriəl/
translation icon : propietario
  • "Baiting the 'island swim,'" he said, giving it a name as if to claim proprietorial rights.
  • proprietorial rights

Examples

  • Already she knew that Lucy was an exception to a good many rules; already she felt proprietorial.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • "With a proprietorial smile, Regina held out her hand in my direction.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Because one can get very sort of proprietorial about, about one's work.

  • The relationship between personal piety and seigneurial proprietorial rights is well illustrated by the advent of Protestantism in Brittany.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Yet, the idea that in poetry there is only so much oxygen to go around is a mistaken one; an erroneous proprietorial and peasant point of view; as if Irish poets had to draw lots to divide the encumbered estate of a dead landlord.

    Academic text (2015)
  • There are three or four times as many slaves as bathers, and the proprietorial way that they look after their masters gives the place the odd atmosphere of a kindergarten for over-indulged grown-ups.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • In 1987, The Greening of the Cities examined British experience with "cultivating nature in cities," proposing that ecology offers "a way out of manmade aesthetics and proprietorial landscapes."

    Academic text (2004)
  • She looked at the painting with a proprietorial pride, as if it were a reflection of her own identity.

  • With a proprietorial attitude, he scanned the crowded room, asserting his presence among the guests.

  • The manager's proprietorial approach to the project's success made everyone feel accountable for their roles.

Synonyms

possessive
vsproprietorial
  • Specialized
5 4.2

A form that shows something belongs to someone, like 'my' or 'her'

describes an owner's attitude or relation rather than a grammatical form

How Possessive

possessive
24 3.8
proprietorial
1 7.2
protective
99 2.0
indifferent
46 4.4

Surface Forms

proprietorial positive

Morphology

proprietorial = proprietor (transparent) = proprietor + ial

The adjective is a regular derivation from the noun 'proprietor' meaning 'relating to or characteristic of an owner', so the relation is directly inferable.

Etymology

Proprietorial comes from words about ownership like property and proprietor, originally meaning 'one's own'. So, to be proprietorial is to act like an owner — protective or proud, as if you own the place.