auteur

1 of 2

noun (1)

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

auteurism

2 of 2

noun (2)

au·​teur·​ism ō-ˈtər-ˌi-zəm 

-ˈtœr-

plural -s

: auteur theory

auteurist

ō-ˈtər-ist 

-ˈtœr-

noun or adjective

auteuristic

ˌō-ˌtər-ˈi-stik, 

-ˌtœr-

adjective

While it might be too glib to say that Allen's art mirrors his life, it is certainly true to say that his films are auteuristic expressions of his own neuroses and concerns.

—Neil Norman, Evening Standard (London), 14 Aug. 1992

Examples of auteur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Watson joins a rich constellation of auteurs who have previously presided over the Sarajevo jury in past editions, including Mike Leigh, Jeremy Irons, Asghar Farhadi, Ruben Östlund, and Mia Wasikowska. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026

Platform is the festival’s only competitive section, designed to launch the next wave of global auteurs. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 July 2026

Only in recent years, thanks to auteurs like Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, has interest in the format begun to rebound, even if the format remains a niche experience. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 16 July 2026

As these cameras are adopted by more and more auteurs, discussions around formats and aspect ratios are being built into how today’s big-budget films are advertised. — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

auteur + -ism

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1968, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing auteur

• auteur theory

Rhymes for auteur

• blotter
• cotter
• daughter
• hotter
• mater
• otter
• plotter
• rotter
• slaughter
• spotter
• squatter
• totter