proprietor

Etymology

Probably from proprietary + -or.

noun

1. An owner.
   Here the proprietor has had the good sense of holding on to the good old fashion of giving his customers their moneyworth of good wines and liquors. 1879, Chas. McArmor, The New Handbook of Vienna[…], 2nd edition, Otto Maass, page 106
   The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account. That is a very American position. British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. 2013-08-10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848
2. A sole owner of an unincorporated business, also called a sole proprietor.
3. One of the owners of an unincorporated business, a partner.
4. (history) One or more persons to whom a colonial territory is assigned, like a fief, including its administration.
   From 10 September 1621 till 12 June 1632, Sir William Alexander, styled Earl of Stirling and Viscount of Canada, was proprietor of the Scottish colony Nova Scotia.