authorship
Americannoun
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origin, especially with reference to an author, creator, producer, etc., of a work.
establishing the authorship of early medieval manuscripts.
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the occupation or career of writing books, articles, etc.
noun
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the origin or originator of a written work, plan, etc
a book of unknown authorship
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the profession of writing books
Etymology
Origin of authorship
Explanation
If you write something, you are engaged in authorship. If you want a fancy way of asking "Who wrote that letter?" — try, "Who is responsible for the authorship of that letter?" Fancy, indeed! Authorship can refer to anything, not just the creation of written text; you can have authorship of a new idea, a new cocktail, a new fashion style — anything. And just as doctors practice medicine, or architects architecture, so writers practice authorship; in other words, authorship also means the actual act of authoring or writing.
Vocabulary lists containing authorship
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ship
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-ship
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tsai felt similarly appreciative of the authorship she had over Sunny, a character who in other series might have been flattened into someone to root against.
From Salon • May 11, 2026
"The Academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award," the group added.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
In announcing the new rules, the academy framed the changes as part of an effort to reflect the current state of filmmaking, while maintaining what it called a “commitment to honoring human authorship and artistry.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
At the center of many of these controversies is a company called Pangram, whose CEO, Max Spero, has become the go-to authority when A.I. authorship disputes erupt.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
Lead authorship of a landmark paper could tip the balance in his favor.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
