1.
(someone else's) husband
Polite term used to refer to another person's husband. The honorific ご makes it respectful.
2.
master, proprietor
Can also refer to the master of a house or the proprietor of a shop.
The owner of this long-established shop is the third generation, and I hear he continues to preserve the traditions from his grandfather's time.
ご主人 is the polite form for referring to someone else's husband.
Related words
- 主人: my husband (humble when referring to own spouse)
- 夫: husband (neutral/formal for own husband)
- 旦那さん: husband (casual-polite for someone else's)
- 奥さん: (someone else's) wife
Usage note: Using 主人 for one's own husband is traditional but some consider it old-fashioned. Modern alternatives include 夫 or パートナー.