From Middle English auctour, from Anglo-Norman autour, from Old French autor, from Latin auctor, from augeō ("to increase, originate").

• (RP) IPA: /ˈɔː.θə/
• (America) IPA: /ˈɔ.θɚ/
• (cot-caught) IPA: /ˈɑ.θɚ/
• (obsolete) IPA: /ˈɒː.təɹ/

author (plural authors)

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.

   Have you read any Corinthian authors?

   This paper has three authors.

   • 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 ↗:

     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.

   • 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 […]

2. Someone who writes books for a living.
3. (obsolete, criminal law) Principal; the primary participant in a crime.
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 […]

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

• authorization or authorisation
• authority
• authorship
• auteur

• French: auteur, auteure, autrice
• German: Autor, Autorin, Verfasser, Verfasserin, Schriftsteller, Schriftstellerin
• Italian: autore, autrice
• Portuguese: autor
• Russian: а́втор
• Spanish: autor, autora, escritor, escritora

author (authors, present participle authoring; simple past and past participle authored)

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

• French: écrire, créer
• Italian: creare
• Spanish: escribir