author

[ aw-ther ]
See synonyms for: authorauthoredauthoring on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist.

  2. the literary production or productions of a writer: to find a passage in an author.

  1. the maker of anything; creator; originator: the author of a new tax plan.

  2. Computers. the writer of a software program, especially a hypertext or multimedia application.

verb (used with object)
  1. to write; be the author of: He authored a history of the Civil War.

  2. to originate; create a design for: She authored a new system for teaching chemistry.

Origin of author

1
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

Other words from author

  • au·tho·ri·al [aw-thawr-ee-uhl, aw-thohr-], /ɔˈθɔr i əl, ɔˈθoʊr-/, adjective
  • au·thor·less, adjective
  • mul·ti·au·thored, adjective
  • pro·au·thor, adjective

Words Nearby author

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use author in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for author

author

/ (ˈɔːθə) /


noun
  1. a person who composes a book, article, or other written work: Related adjective: auctorial

  2. a person who writes books as a profession; writer

  1. the writings of such a person: reviewing a postwar author

  2. an originator or creator: the author of this plan

verb(tr)
  1. to write or originate

Origin of author

1
C14: from Old French autor, from Latin auctor author, from augēre to increase

Derived forms of author

  • authorial (ɔːˈθɔːrɪəl), adjective

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