proprietress
/proprietress/
Học thuậtThân thiện
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
- a woman proprietor