author
Americannoun
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a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist.
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the literary production or productions of a writer.
to find a passage in an author.
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the maker of anything; creator; originator.
the author of a new tax plan.
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Computers. the writer of a software program, especially a hypertext or multimedia application.
verb (used with object)
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to write; be the author of.
He authored a history of the Civil War.
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to originate; create a design for.
She authored a new system for teaching chemistry.
noun
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a person who composes a book, article, or other written work
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a person who writes books as a profession; writer
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the writings of such a person
reviewing a postwar author
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an originator or creator
the author of this plan
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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authorsimple
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authorssimple
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have authoredperfect
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has authoredperfect
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am authoringprogressive
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are authoringprogressive
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is authoringprogressive
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have been authoringperfect progressive
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has been authoringperfect progressive
Past
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authoredsimple
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had authoredperfect
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was authoringprogressive
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were authoringprogressive
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had been authoringperfect progressive
Future
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” ( cf. augment) + -tor -tor; replacing Middle English auto(u)r, from Anglo-French; Old French autor, from Latin, as above
Explanation
An author is a person who writes books or articles, usually for money. It can also refer to the person responsible for something, like the author of a plan to overthrow the student government. Author comes from the Latin word auctorem, meaning "founder, master, leader." Bow down to the author! Well, no need for that, just make sure the author gets credit. Author usually refers to a professional writer. In fact, author can be used interchangeably with the word writer. But author packs a little more punch — an author is involved in the creation of the work and generating the ideas behind it; strictly speaking, a writer could just execute the written product.
Vocabulary lists containing author
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 1
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Book Words for Book Worms
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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.
See Examples For:
“There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work,” the author wrote in what appeared to be screenshots of a group chat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Recently, cookbook author and food-world oracle Alison Roman gave Loonen her social-media stamp of approval after discovering it at Two Bunch Palms hotel in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
“What they are doing is shifting the premium cost more to the older retirees,” Marcia Mantell, an independent retirement consultant and author of “Creating Your Medicare Recipe,” told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Thomas, the author of Bajakajian, used a 2017 statement in Leonard v.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
How was I supposed to know that he’s best friends with my favorite author?
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
To illustrate how “free” extra savings could happen, the authors of the brief provide an example.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Three of this year's authors in the Booker Dozen are previous shortlistees, including Elizabeth Strout, who is recognised for The Things We Never Say.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
He refers to Jay Bhattacharya, Sunetra Gupta and Martin Kulldorff, authors of the lockdown-critical Great Barrington Declaration, as “the 3 stooges.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Sinai.ai says it has built something it calls "AI rights" -- a system that pays authors and publishers when their work gets used by a chatbot.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The answer in a nutshell: • If a that or a who comes before the verb, it’s plural: He’s one of the authors who say it best.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Data “help people find order and systemize an incredibly chaotic process,” said Wang, who authored a study on self-datafication and dating spreadsheets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Blumenfield, who authored a motion to start the process, called the law, along with its punishments of a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail, “uncommonly silly.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The blueprint has been authored, external by the Re:State think tank which Burnham was involved with until he stepped down as mayor of Greater Manchester.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
But in fact, they were authored by the same man, Chief Justice John Roberts, and released at the exact same time.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
Mason authored the first series book based on the rote method in 1864 called The Song Garden.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
In addition to authoring cookbooks “Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings” and “Food Gifts: 150+ Irresistible Recipes for Crafting Personalized Presents,” she hosted “The Walk-In” podcast and worked as a food stylist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
In that case, Roberts, joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, surprised many by authoring a 5-4 decision that required Alabama to draw a second majority-minority congressional district.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2025
He led the major leagues in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in 2025, all while authoring his fourth 50-homer campaign.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
For the next couple of months, Ben Mathis-Lilley will be authoring the newsletter, and he loves receiving unconstructive criticism in the form of email.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2025
To be sure, men and women have long been authoring their own content, beginning with drawings on cave walls up through Gutenberg and the typewriter.
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
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.
