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REFERENCE

author

n. countable
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈɔθɝ// UK //ˈɔːθɐ// au·thor Academic Archaic General-service

n. the person who writes a book, article, or play. You use this word to talk about the creator of a piece of writing.

n. the writer of a literary work, such as a book, article, or report. Often used to refer to the originator of an idea or theory in academic contexts.


SIMPLE

She is the author of several famous novels.

CONTEXTUAL

The author spent three years researching the historical events before writing the first chapter of the biography.

COMPLEX

While the author remains anonymous, the stylistic choices and thematic preoccupations suggest a writer deeply familiar with late nineteenth-century Parisian society.

Synonyms
Origin

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.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'of' to indicate the specific work created.

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