Definition

A woman who owns something or manages a business.

Example

The proprietress of the café greeted her customers with a smile.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new café downtown?

Yeah, I heard the proprietress is really passionate about coffee.

I want to check it out this weekend!

Sounds great! I love supporting local businesses.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Proprietress → It is formed from "proprietor" (from Latin "proprietarius", meaning owner) and the suffix "-ess" (meaning female). The word "proprietress" refers to a female owner or proprietor.

Memory Tip

Think of a female "owner" ('proprietor') when you hear "proprietress" — the '-ess' indicates that it is specifically a woman.

Visually Confused Words