English Explanatory Dictionary

author

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition; or, one of the creators of a collaborative work.
  2. The initial owner of the copyright to a work, especially a work made for hire or a work of corporate authorship.
  3. Someone who writes books for a living.
  4. Principal; the primary participant in a crime.
  5. One's authority for something: an informant.
  6. The creator or cause of anything.
verb
  1. To create a work as its author.

Pronunciation

/ˈɔː.θə/ /ˈoː.θə/ /ˈɔ.θɚ/ [ˈɔ.θɚ] ~ [ˈɔ.θɹ̩] /ˈɑ.θɚ/ ~ /ˈɒ.θɚ/ en-us-author.ogg

Word forms

author authors aucthor aucthour auctor auctour auctoure authour authoure autor autour autoure authoring authored

Etymology

From Middle English auctour, from Anglo-Norman autour, from Old French autor, from Latin auctor, from augeō (“to increase, originate”). The h, also found in Middle French autheur, is unetymological as there is no h in the original Latin spelling. The OED attributes the h to contamination by authentic. Doublet of auteur.

Synonyms

bookwright creator artist subcreator fabulator writer

Related words

auteur authority authorization authorisation authorship

Derived words

authorcraft authordom authorer authoress authress authorhood authorial authorish authorism authorless authorlike authorling authorly author mill author of life author's edition author's plural author's we AuthorTube coauthor co-author corresponding author death of the author hyperauthor multiauthor nonauthor overauthor reauthor Suethor authorable
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