# owner

/ˈoʊnɝ/ (US) · /ˈəʊnɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/owner
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. person who possesses something

noun · CEFR A2

a person who has something that belongs to them.

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

- The new owner of the house plans to paint the front door bright red.
- 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. ship's captain

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a casual name for the captain of a ship.

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

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

## Examples

- The owner of the restaurant is very friendly.
- If you find a lost wallet, you should try to return it to its rightful owner.
- The new owner of the estate plans to restore the historic gardens to their original seventeenth-century design while modernising the interior of the main house.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.