authorship

noun

au·​thor·​ship ˈȯ-thər-ˌship 

1

: the profession of writing

2

: the source (such as the author) of a piece of writing, music, or art

3

: the state or act of writing, creating, or causing

Examples of authorship in a Sentence

His first attempt at authorship failed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Strogatz is perhaps best known in his field for his co-authorship of a seminal 1998 paper with Duncan Watts on the collective dynamics of small-world networks. — ArsTechnica, 10 Nov. 2026

The realm of authorship in the opinion section has also always been a bit dubious. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026

Gayles agreed that authorship could not be decided at that stage. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026

Kramer said that, as the industry evolves, the Academy continues to reward human authorship and creation. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

author entry 1 + -ship

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing authorship

• co-authorship

Rhymes for authorship

• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip
• internship

Kids Definition

authorship

noun

au·​thor·​ship ˈȯ-thər-ˌship 

1

: writing as an occupation

2

: the origin especially of a written work