publican

Meaning

1. (Ireland, UK) The landlord (manager or owner) of a public house (“a bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging; a pub”).
2. (Commonwealth, broadly) The manager or owner of a hotel.

Synonyms

tavern keeper

tavern-keeper

tapster

taverner

taxcollector

saloon keeper

monger

customs-officer

tapper

Translations

publicain

publicano

Wirt

tabernero

birahaneci

locandiere

Schankwirt

oste

tollenaar

hostelero

patron de bistrot

κάπηλος

cabaretier

restaurateur

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpʌblɪk(ə)n/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: publican

Cognate with French: publicain

Cognate with Catalan: publicà

Cognate with Italian: pubblicano

Cognate with Middle Dutch: publicaen

Cognate with Dutch: publicaan

Cognate with Middle High German: publicān

Cognate with German: Publican

Cognate with Middle Low German: pūblicān

Cognate with Old Provençal: publican

Cognate with Portuguese: publicano

Cognate with Spanish: publicano

In summary

Probably from public house (“(Britain) bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging, pub”) or public (“open to all members of a community”) + -an (suffix forming agent nouns), apparently originally used humorously.