Tavernkeeper

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who operates an establishment offering alcoholic drinks and often meals to customers
2. An individual who runs a venue that serves beverages and food while ensuring a welcoming atmosphere for guests
3. An individual responsible for managing an establishment that provides drinks and food service to patrons in a social setting

Etymology: "Tavernkeeper" is a plain compound: "tavern" joined to "keeper," the familiar agent noun from "keep" in the sense of managing or running something, as in shopkeeper or innkeeper. A tavernkeeper, then, is simply the person who keeps a tavern. The first half carries the older history. "Tavern" came into English from Old French "taverne," which traces back to Latin "taberna," a word for a hut, booth or shop. That Latin sense of a wooden stall or workshop explains why the same root gave English words for a shop-front and a drinking house alike. "Keeper" is an older English word, and its combination with an establishment noun is a productive pattern that English has used for centuries.

Synonyms: innkeeper, publican, bartender, host, proprietor