author

1 of 2

noun

au·​thor ˈȯ-thər How to pronounce author (audio)
Synonyms of author
1
: the writer of a literary work (such as a book)
a famous author
2
a
: one that originates or creates something : source
software authors
film authors
the author of this crime
b
Author : god sense 1
authorial
ȯ-ˈthȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce author (audio)
adjective

author

2 of 2

verb

authored; authoring; authors

transitive verb

: to be the author of : write
a writer who has authored several bestsellers

Synonyms of author

Relevance

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of author in a Sentence

Noun The author of the article didn't check his facts. I enjoyed the book, but I can't remember the name of the author. She is the author of a plan for reforming the school system. Verb authored a new biography of Thomas Jefferson
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Stephen Wolfram is a distinguished scientist, inventor, author, and business leader. — Big Think, 4 Aug. 2026 The lineup of authors and presenters for this year’s Printers Row Lit Fest in September includes the Chicago author Scott Turow and PBS NewsHour co-anchor Geoff Bennett. — Doug George, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
Bella DePaulo, a former University of Virginia professor who has authored books on single living, said society has changed since the regulation was established, with more people getting married later or not marrying at all. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026 LaBelle has had countless, timeless chart-toppers, has appeared in film and television and has even authored New York Times bestselling books and built a successful food and lifestyle brand, Patti’s Good Life. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for author

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English autour, auctour, actour "originator, creator, authoritative source, writer," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French auctur, auttour, actour "originator, creator, instigator, party, authority, writer," borrowed from Latin auctōr-, auctor "principal in a sale, person entitled to take action or authorize, authoritative writer, originator, creator, agent, founder," from augēre "to increase" + -tor, agent suffix — more at eke entry 2

Note: Variants with medial -th-, as aucthour, authour, etc., become current in the sixteenth century and lead to spelling pronunciations with [θ] in the seventeenth century. The spellings are presumed to reflect association with authentic and its Latin and Greek sources, as author in the sense "the first beginner and mover of anything," as Samuel Johnson put it, is the ultimate guarantor of authenticity.

Verb

derivative of author entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of author was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing author

Rhymes for author

See All Rhymes for author

Browse Nearby Words

authigenic
author
author's alteration
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Author.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/author. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

author

noun
au·​thor
ˈȯ-thər
1
: a person who creates a written work : writer
2
: one that starts or creates
author of a plan for education
author verb

More from Merriam-Webster on author

Nglish: Translation of author for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about author

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All