author definition

English author definition

Alternative forms

• authour (obsolete)
• auctor (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English auctour, from Anglo-Norman autour, from Old French autor, from Latin auctor, from augeō (“to increase, originate”). The h, also found in English autheur, is unetymological as there is no h in the original Latin spelling. The OED attributes the h to contamination by authentic.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɔː.θə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɔ.θɚ/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɑ.θɚ/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈɒː.təɹ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːθə(r)
• Hyphenation: au‧thor

Noun

author (plural authors)

1. The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition.

   The copyright of any original writing belongs initially and properly to its author.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 3”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:

     Eternal King; thee, Author of all being.

   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]

   • 1755, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language Preface

     The chief glory of every people arises from its authors.

   1. (with definite article: "the author") I, me. used in academic articles instead of a first-person pronoun.

   Have you read any Corinthian authors?

   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]

   • Originator definition

     Someone who originates, creates or founds something.

   • Creator definition

     Something or someone which creates or makes something. (1 of 2 creator definitions)

   • Work definition

     Employment.

     1. Labour, occupation, job. (1 of 20 work definitions)

   • Literary definition

     Relating to literature. (1 of 5 literary definitions)

   • Composition definition

     The act of putting together; assembly. (1 of 17 composition definitions)

   • I definition

     The ninth letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet. (1 of 2 I definitions)

   • Me definition

     As the direct object of a verb. (1 of 8 me definitions)

   • First-Person definition

     Of a verb, in the first person. (1 of 3 first-person definitions)
2. Someone who writes books for a living.

   • Book definition

     A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc. (1 of 15 book definitions)
3. (obsolete, criminal law) Principal.
   • 1894, Franco-Siamese Mixed Court, The Case of Kieng Chek (Kham Muon) before the Franco-Siamese Mixed Court‎^[1], Bangkok: n.p., page 4:

     Accomplices of a crime or an offence shall incur the same punishment as the authors of such a crime or offence, except when the law will have disposed otherwise.

   • Criminal Law definition

     The area of law pertaining to crime and punishment. (1 of 2 criminal law definitions)

   • Principal definition

     Primary; most important; first level in importance. (1 of 2 principal definitions)
4. (obsolete) One's authority for something: an informant.
   • 1699, Seven new Colloquies translated out of Erasmus

     Let me inform you en passant, Ladies, that those Villains the Heathens, as my Authors tell me, (and I thought it wou'd^[sic] not be amiss to communicate such a nice Observation to this House) used to call our Saviour Chrestus, and not Christus, by way of Contempt and Derision […]

   • Authority definition

     The power to enforce rules or give orders. (1 of 4 authority definitions)

   • Informant definition

     One who relays confidential information to someone, especially to the police; an informer. (1 of 2 informant definitions)

Synonyms

• (creator of a work): bookwright, creator, artist, subcreator, fabulator, writer

Derived terms

• authoress, authress
• author of life

Related terms

• authorization or authorisation
• authority
• authorship
• auteur

Translations

Verb

author (third-person singular simple present authors, present participle authoring, simple past and past participle authored)

1. (chiefly US, sometimes proscribed) To create a work as its author.

   • Create definition

     To bring into existence; (1 of 8 create definitions)

Derived terms

• authorable

Translations

Anagrams

• Hotaru

Latin author definition

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈau̯.tor/, [ˈäu̯t̪ɔr]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈau̯.tor/, [ˈɑːu̯t̪ɔr]

Noun

author m (genitive authōris); third declension

1. (proscribed) Alternative form of auctor

   • Auctor definition

     seller, vendor (1 of 5 auctor definitions)

Declension

Third-declension noun.

References

• author in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879
  auctor in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879
• auctor in Gaffiot, Félix, Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette, 1934, page 184f.

Middle English author definition

Noun

author

1. Alternative form of auctour

   • Auctour definition

     a creator or author; the person who authors something; especially used to refer to God. (1 of 5 auctour definitions)