auteur

noun

au·​teur ō-ˈtu̇r How to pronounce auteur (audio)
-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 adjective or noun

Examples of auteur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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French auteur filmmaker Bertrand Bonello will deliver this year’s ECAM Forum centerpiece masterclass on June 12, in partnership with Cineteca Madrid and Filmadrid Festival. Annika Pham, Variety, 19 May 2025 But The Hollywood Reporter and Threads gave the veteran auteur one more by hosting an early evening celebration for his Cannes Film Festival selection Highest 2 Lowest at Hyde Beach by Campari on Sunday. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025 What was once a marketplace of faxes and frantic phone calls has become a digital, global arena — shaped by streaming platforms, changing release strategies and a new generation of auteurs redefining what cinema can be. Martin Moszkowicz, Deadline, 17 May 2025 As the procurers of finances and managers of staff, they’re often seen as the hard-nosed businesspeople behind the whimsical auteurs. Serena Dai, The Atlantic, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for auteur

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of auteur was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Auteur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auteur. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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