ENGLISH
REFERENCE

owner

n.
US //ˈoʊnɝ// UK //ˈəʊnɐ// own·er
  1. 1 person who possesses something (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a person who has something that belongs to them.

    a person who has the legal right or title to property, an object, or an animal.

    Example

    The new owner of the house plans to paint the front door bright red.

    Example

    The legal owner of the estate was required to provide proof of purchase before the renovation permits could be issued by the city council.
  2. 2 ship's captain (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal Sport

    a casual name for the captain of a ship.

    a slang term used by a crew to refer to the captain of their vessel.

    Example

    The crew worked hard to clean the deck before the owner arrived.

    Example

    In naval tradition, the crew might refer to the commanding officer as 'the owner' when speaking informally among themselves.

    Usage

    Usually used with the definite article 'the'.
Origin

From own + -er.

Word family

© 2026 English Reference