A business structure in which an individual and his/her company are considered a single entity for tax and liability purposes. A proprietorship is a company which is not registered with the state as a limited liability company or corporation. The owner does not pay income tax separately for the company, but he/she reports business income or losses on his/her individual income tax return. The owner is inseparable from the proprietorship, so he/she is liable for any business debts. also called sole proprietorship.