business operator; entrepreneur
Refers to a person or entity engaged in commercial activities; often used in legal, regulatory, or business contexts.
The business operator must obtain a permit.
He is the operator of a small shop.
経営者 focuses on management and administration, whereas 営業者 can refer to any business operator, including sole proprietors.
Compound of 営業 (business, operations) and 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common pattern for forming agent nouns.