author

1 of 2

noun

au·​thor ˈȯ-thər 

1

: the writer of a literary work (such as a book)

a famous author

2

a

: one that originates or creates something : source

software authors

film authors

the author of this crime

b

capitalized : god sense 1

authorial

ȯ-ˈthȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

author

2 of 2

verb

authored; authoring; authors

transitive verb

: to be the author of : write

a writer who has authored several bestsellers

Synonyms

Noun

• litterateur
• littérateur
• pen
• penman
• scribe
• scrivener
• writer

Verb

• pen
• scratch (out)
• scribble
• write

Examples of author in a Sentence

Noun

The author of the article didn't check his facts.

I enjoyed the book, but I can't remember the name of the author.

She is the author of a plan for reforming the school system.

Verb

authored a new biography of Thomas Jefferson

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The famed young adult author was the stuff of legend with his Fear Street and Goosebumps franchises, which took over the Scholastic book fairs in the 1990s and early aughts. —Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 10 June 2024

Productivity and hard work are nothing if not the American Way, with mainstream institutions from government to church urging people to stay busy, says Celeste Headlee, author of the book Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 10 June 2024

Verb

Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, was the lead GOP negotiator on police reform and had authored a bill of his own after Floyd's death that was blocked by Senate Democrats at a time when many in their party supported a farther-reaching effort of their own. —Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 25 May 2024

The study, which was published in the journal Addiction on Wednesday, was authored by Carnegie Mellon University cannabis policy researcher Jonathan Caulkins. —Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 23 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English autour, auctour, actour "originator, creator, authoritative source, writer," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French auctur, auttour, actour "originator, creator, instigator, party, authority, writer," borrowed from Latin auctōr-, auctor "principal in a sale, person entitled to take action or authorize, authoritative writer, originator, creator, agent, founder," from augēre "to increase" + -tor, agent suffix — more at eke entry 2

Note: Variants with medial -th-, as aucthour, authour, etc., become current in the sixteenth century and lead to spelling pronunciations with [θ] in the seventeenth century. The spellings are presumed to reflect association with authentic and its Latin and Greek sources, as author in the sense "the first beginner and mover of anything," as Samuel Johnson put it, is the ultimate guarantor of authenticity.

Verb

derivative of author entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

1597, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing author

• co-author

Kids Definition

author

noun

au·​thor

ˈȯ-thər

1

: a person who creates a written work : writer

2

: one that starts or creates

author of a plan for education

author verb