author

American  

[aw-ther] / ˈɔ θər /

noun

1. a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist.

2. the literary production or productions of a writer.

   to find a passage in an author.

3. the maker of anything; creator; originator.

   the author of a new tax plan.

4. Computers. the writer of a software program, especially a hypertext or multimedia application.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to write; be the author of.

   He authored a history of the Civil War.

2. to originate; create a design for.

   She authored a new system for teaching chemistry.

author British  

/ ɔːˈθɔːrɪəl, ˈɔːθə /

noun

1. a person who composes a book, article, or other written work

2. a person who writes books as a profession; writer

3. the writings of such a person

   reviewing a postwar author

4. an originator or creator

   the author of this plan

---

verb

1. to write or originate

Other Word Forms

• authorial adjective
• authorless adjective
• multiauthored adjective
• proauthor adjective

Etymology

Origin of author

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English auct(h)or, from Latin auctor “founder, originator, writer,” equivalent to aug(ēre) “to increase” ( augment ) + -tor -tor; replacing Middle English auto(u)r, from Anglo-French; Old French autor, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

The former civil servants had independently stepped forward, initially contacting the author Andrew Lownie, who is updating his biography of Andrew, Entitled.

From BBC

The opening assault, which if authorized could come within days, would target a few military or government sites, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

From The Wall Street Journal

The authors note: “These sites have undergone observable upgrades in recent years, even as Cuba has faced increasingly dire economic prospects that have drawn it closer to China.”

From The Wall Street Journal

One Feb. 5 post has garnered over 1.4 million views on X. The Journal contacted the account’s author.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We could make this patch as a product where the gel may need to be renewed periodically," said Prince David Okoro, UCR bioengineering doctoral candidate in Noshadi's lab and paper co author.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• biographer
• columnist
• composer
• creator
• journalist
• poet
• producer
• reporter
• writer