What does "author" mean?
The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition; or, one of the creators of a collaborative work.
Author
/ˈɔː.θə(ɹ)/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition; or, one of the creators of a collaborative work.
- Grammar: author is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: writer, actor, advertising writer, agent.
- Useful contrasts: addressee, alterer, amanuenses.
- Usage evidence: Richard Roberts is the author of numerous books.
How to use "author"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "author" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "author" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "author" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "author" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "author" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "writer" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "author", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition; or, one of the creators of a collaborative work.
"The copyright of any original writing belongs initially and properly to its author."
- 2 someone who originates or causes or initiates something wordnet
- 3 The initial owner of the copyright to a work, especially a work made for hire or a work of corporate authorship. US
"The author named on the copyright registration for the Android robot is Google Inc."
- 4 writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay) wordnet
- 5 Someone who writes books for a living.
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Principal; the primary participant in a crime. obsolete
"We hear […]of fratricidal murders, and stern reprisals on their authors."
- 7 One's authority for something: an informant. archaic
"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 […]"
- 8 The creator or cause of anything. figuratively
"The other, standing nearly head-on toward the hunters, had not proved so good a mark, and though every spear struck not one entered the great heart. For a moment the huge bull stood trumpeting in rage and pain, casting about with its little eyes for the author of its hurt."
Verb
- 1 To create a work as its author. US, proscribed, sometimes
- 2 be the author of wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Richard Roberts is the author of numerous books."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "author"?
Common synonyms include: writer, actor, advertising writer, agent, ancestor, ancestors.
How do you use "author" in a sentence?
Richard Roberts is the author of numerous books.
How do you pronounce "author"?
Pronounced /ˈɔː.θə(ɹ)/.
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 Middle French autheur, is unetymological as there is no h in the original Latin spelling. The OED attributes the h to contamination by authentic. Doublet of auteur.