Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who owns something: An individual who has legal possession or control of a property, object, or entity.
   • (Law) A legal possessor of a business or property: Someone who holds the title or legal rights to an asset or enterprise.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The dog's owner was found after it ran away. (The person who possessed the dog was located.)
  • She is the proud owner of a small bookstore. (She is the legal possessor and proprietor of the bookstore.)
  • Who is the owner of this umbrella? (Who possesses this umbrella?)

Advanced Usage

• "To come into one's own": To gain the recognition or success one deserves. (Note: This idiom uses "own," not "owner," but is a related concept of possession.)
  • After years of hard work, she finally came into her own as a designer.
• "At the owner's risk": A warning that the owner is responsible for any damage or loss.
  • Vehicles parked here are left at the owner's risk.

Variants and Related Words

• Ownership (n): The state or right of possessing something.
  • The ownership of the land was disputed.
• Co-owner (n): A person who shares ownership with another or others.
  • They are co-owners of the company.
• Homeowner (n): A person who owns their house or apartment. (This is a compound word listed separately as a variant).
• Shipowner (n): A person who owns a ship or ships. (This is a compound word listed separately as a variant).

Synonyms

• Proprietor: The owner of a business, especially one that provides a service (e.g., a shop, hotel).
• Possessor: A person who owns or has a thing.
• Holder: A person who holds or owns something, often a title or document.

Related Phrases

• Rightful owner: The person who has a legitimate claim or title to something.
  • The painting was returned to its rightful owner.
• Previous owner: The person who owned something before the current owner.
  • We contacted the previous owner of the house for some history.

Related Idioms

• Finders keepers, losers weepers: A saying often used by children meaning that whoever finds something can keep it. This is contextually related to the concept of an owner.
  • He took the lost ball, saying, "Finders keepers!"

Noun

1. a person who owns something
   • they are searching for the owner of the car
   • who is the owner of that friendly smile?
2. (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
   • he is the owner of a chain of restaurants