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

No event on the fall calendar looms larger than the Venice International Film Festival, which sees auteurs and movie stars from around the world descend upon the Lido for the world’s oldest film festival. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026

He is managed by Adam Kersh, an indie veteran whose clients include other auteurs like Ira Sachs and Amy Seimetz. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026

Emboldened filmmakers such as Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-hsien created Taiwan New Wave cinema, dazzling Western auteurs. —Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026

Organizers for the South of France festival, which runs May 12-23, laid out a lineup heavy on big-name international auteurs at a news conference Thursday in Paris. —Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026

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