Author Meaning
/ˈɔː.θə/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition; or, one of the creators of a collaborative work.
nounThe initial owner of the copyright to a work, especially a work made for hire or a work of corporate authorship.
Sentence Examples
Richard Roberts is the author of numerous books.
Dickens was the author of 'Oliver Twist'.
Copyright expires seventy years after the death of the author.
CEFR Practice Quiz
J.K. Rowling is the ____ of the famous Harry Potter book series.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the new novel will be signing copies at the bookstore today.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Eternal King; thee, Author of all being."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"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[…]"
— 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond:
"The chief glory of every people arises from its authors."
— 1755 April 15, Samuel Johnson, “Preface”, in A Dictionary of the English Language: […], volume I (A–K), London: […] J[ohn] and P[aul] Knapton; […], →OCLC:
"[Jean] Twenge […] isn’t necessarily a household name like her sometimes collaborator Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and the author of the megahit “The Anxious Generation,” which has spent 75 weeks hovering near the top of the New York Times best-seller list."
— 2025 September 6, Catherine Pearson, “She Started the Debate About Kids and Phones. Now She Wants to End It.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Sep 2025:
""The cranium is clearly plesiomorphic in overall form, presenting primitive traits shared by earlier hominins," the authors wrote."
— 2025 September 27, Julia Jacobo, “Million-year-old skull could rewrite timeline of human origin, researchers say”, in ABC News, archived from the original on 14 Feb 2026:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
J.K. Rowling is the ____ of the famous Harry Potter book series.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the new novel will be signing copies at the bookstore today.