raconteur

[ rak-uh n-tur; French ra-kawn-tœr ]

/ ˌræk ənˈtɜr; French ra kɔ̃ˈtœr /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR raconteur ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural rac·on·teurs [rak-uh n-turz; French ra-kawn-tœr] /ˌræk ənˈtɜrz; French ra kɔ̃ˈtœr/.

a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

Nearby words

racking, rackle, rackwork, raclette, racon, raconteur, raconteuse, racoon, racq, racquet, racquetball

Origin of raconteur

1820–30; < French, equivalent to racont(er) to tell (Old French r(e)- re- + aconter to tell, account) + -eur -eur

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for raconteur

She describes him as a raconteur and voracious reader of history and current affairs.
The Seven Foot Philanthropist|Sandra McElwaine|June 4, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Like Beck, Jones is a raconteur with a penchant for dramatizing things to comic effect.
Leave Van Jones Alone|Reihan Salam|September 8, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He is a raconteur extraordinaire and an interview with the dogged reporter can rapidly turn into a delicious gabfest.
Celebrity Hit Man|Sandra McElwaine|August 7, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Our teacher is this generous renegade, a raconteur and wit also who succeeds in getting us to read Beowolf.
My Teacher Who Brought Magic to Room 205|Susan Jane Gilman|July 20, 2009|DAILY BEAST

He had an accent like ours; he was definitely a surrealist and a raconteur.
Craig Ferguson's 10 Favorite Comedy Moments|Craig Ferguson, The Daily Beast Video|May 20, 2009|DAILY BEAST
There is a print of Sir George Simpson behind one raconteur's head.
The Story of the Trapper|A. C. Laut
Mr. Morris is raconteur first; his ancient tales create their form, and ornament is accessory to narrative.
Essays|Arthur Christopher Benson
But Harriet Martineau was never the raconteur, she was first the educator.
Woman's Work in English Fiction|Clara Helen Whitmore
As a raconteur he stands almost unrivalled, and his powers of mimicry are in themselves sufficient to justify a career.
Theodor Leschetizky|Annette Hullah
He was not a good man to tell a story to—he had always heard it before; but as a raconteur I never met his equal.
The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll|Stuart Dodgson Collingwood

British Dictionary definitions for raconteur

raconteur

/ (ˌrækɒnˈtɜː) /

noun

a person skilled in telling stories

Word Origin for raconteur

C19: French, from raconter to tell

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