author
/ˈoː.θə/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.95 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition; or, one of the creators of a collaborative work.
Example Sentences
- "The copyright of any original writing belongs initially and properly to its author."
- "Have you read any Corinthian authors?"
- "This paper has three authors."
- "Eternal King; thee, Author of all being."
- "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[…]"
- "The chief glory of every people arises from its authors."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₂owg-éye-ti Proto-Italic *augejō Proto-Italic *augeō Latin augeō Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin auctor Anglo-Norman autourbor. Middle English auctour English author 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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈoː.θə/
- British English: /ˈɔː.θə/
Usage
Inflected Forms
authors (plural)
aucthor (alternative, obsolete)
aucthour (alternative, obsolete)
auctor (alternative, obsolete)
auctour (alternative, obsolete)
auctoure (alternative, obsolete)
authour (alternative, obsolete)
authoure (alternative, obsolete)
autor (alternative, obsolete)
autour (alternative, obsolete)
autoure (alternative, obsolete)
authors (present, singular)