Dictionary.com

author

[ aw-ther ]
/ ˈɔ θər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR author ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist.
the literary production or productions of a writer: to find a passage in an author.
the maker of anything; creator; originator: the author of a new tax plan.
Computers. the writer of a software program, especially a hypertext or multimedia application.

verb (used with object)

to write; be the author of: He authored a history of the Civil War.
to originate; create a design for: She authored a new system for teaching chemistry.

QUIZZES

FOR LEXICAL ALIMENTATION, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Nourish your vocabulary with a refresher on the words from the week of September 14–20, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “blatherskite” mean?
a person given to voluble, empty talk.
an ancient Greek or Roman farce that depended for effect largely upon ludicrous actions and gestures.
a check whose amount has been raised by forgery before cashing.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of author

1250–1300; earlier auct(h)or<Latin auctor writer, progenitor, equivalent to aug(ēre) to increase, augment + -tor-tor; replacing Middle English auto(u)r<Anglo-French, for Old French autor<Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM author

au·tho·ri·al [aw-thawr-ee-uhl, aw-thohr-], /ɔˈθɔr i əl, ɔˈθoʊr-/, adjectiveau·thor·less, adjectivemul·ti·au·thored, adjectivepro·au·thor, adjective

Words nearby author

authenticate, authentication, authenticator, authenticity, authigenic, author, author catalog, authoress, authoring, authoritarian, authoritarian personality
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Content related to author

How Authors Named Their Famous CharactersWhat's in a name? A lot, apparently! Dive into how some of the most famous literary characters were named, in order to find your own writerly inspiration.
READ MORE

Words related to author

producer, creator, writer, columnist, journalist, composer, poet, reporter, biographer, ghost, originator, playwright, scribe, scribbler, ghostwriter, wordsmith, essayist, scripter

Example sentences from the Web for author

British Dictionary definitions for author

author
/ (ˈɔːθə) /

noun

a person who composes a book, article, or other written workRelated adjective: auctorial
a person who writes books as a profession; writer
the writings of such a personreviewing a postwar author
an originator or creatorthe author of this plan

verb (tr)

to write or originate

Derived forms of author

authorial (ɔːˈθɔːrɪəl), adjective

Word Origin for author

C14: from Old French autor, from Latin auctor author, from augēre to increase
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012