Definition

Noun: A female proprietor; a woman who owns a business or property, especially one who runs it.

Usage

The word "proprietress" is used to specify the gender of a proprietor. It is most commonly applied to a woman who owns and manages a business establishment, such as a shop, inn, or restaurant. While "proprietor" is a gender-neutral term, "proprietress" is explicitly feminine. Its usage has become less common in modern English, with "proprietor" or "owner" often preferred regardless of gender.

Examples

• The proprietress of the antique shop was very knowledgeable about every item in her collection.
• For decades, she was the beloved proprietress of the seaside hotel.
• The new proprietress introduced a modern menu to the traditional café.

Advanced Usage

• The term can sometimes carry a slightly old-fashioned or formal tone, evoking an image of a hands-on female business owner from a past era.
• It is typically used as a title or form of address, especially in formal or literary contexts.
  • "Madam, the proprietress, insisted on the highest standards of service."

Variants and Related Words

• Proprietor (n): A person who owns a business or property; the gender-neutral term.
• Proprietorship (n): The state or right of being a proprietor; ownership.
• Ownership (n): The act, state, or right of possessing something.
• Landlady (n): A woman who rents out land, property, or accommodations. (This is a related but more specific term for a woman who owns rental property.)

Synonyms

• Owner
• Landlady (specific to property rental)
• Manager-owner
• Mistress (archaic in this sense, e.g., "the mistress of the house")

Antonyms

• Employee
• Tenant
• Customer
• Patron

Noun

1. a woman proprietor