playwright

American  

[pley-rahyt] / ˈpleɪˌraɪt /

noun

1. a writer of plays; dramatist.

---

playwright British  

/ ˈpleɪˌraɪt /

noun

1. a person who writes plays

---

Etymology

Origin of playwright

First recorded in 1680–90; play + wright

Example Sentences

Director Elia Kazan was drawn to both playwrights because he understood that they were as interested in the stories of individual Americans as they were in the larger tale of America itself.

From Los Angeles Times

Subsequent productions are never going to have the same coordination between playwright and theatrical interpreters as the world premiere.

From Los Angeles Times

But one senses that the playwright is at a loss to find a plausible ending after the simmering conflicts have erupted into a full conflagration.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the playwright who also wrote “Street Scene” didn’t want the bold effects of his drama to eclipse the human story.

From Los Angeles Times

The parallels to contemporary American culture are obvious if not literal, but Ms. Ziegler is too gifted a playwright to shrink a nuanced tragedy into a screeching protest sign.

From The Wall Street Journal