publican

/ˈpʌblɪkən/
noun
  1. A person who owns or manages a pub (a place where alcoholic drinks are sold).
    • She worked as a publican for twenty years before retiring.
    • The publican decided to offer live music on weekends to attract more customers.
    • The publican greeted regular customers by name as they entered the bar.
  2. In ancient Roman times, a person who collected taxes for the government.
    • Historians study the role of publicans in the Roman economy.
    • The Roman publican demanded payment from every merchant in the market.
    • In the Bible, tax collectors called publicans were often disliked by the people.