auteur

noun

au·​teur ō-ˈtu̇r 

-ˈtər

1

: a film director whose practice accords with the auteur theory

broadly : director sense c

2

: an artist (such as a musician or writer) whose style and practice are distinctive

auteurist

ō-ˈtər-ist 

adjective or noun

Examples of auteur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The New Currents Award — long considered BIFF’s signature competition for emerging Asian auteurs — was awarded to Korean director Yoo Jaein’s En Route To, solidifying the film’s breakout status. —Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2025

There aren’t that many American auteurs, mostly because the movie industry doesn’t want them. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025

Over the past decade or so, there’s been a lot written about how our major commercial auteurs, many of them white men around Paul Thomas Anderson’s age, have avoided making movies set in the present day. —Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025

One of Spain’s most exciting younger genre auteurs Paul Urkijo embodies that shift. —Callum McLennan, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, originator, author, from Old French autor, from Latin auctor — more at author

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing auteur

• auteur theory

Rhymes for auteur

• amour
• grandeur
• hauteur
• velour
• verdure
• voyeur
• doer
• poor
• poore
• raconteur