auteur
|au-teur|
🇺🇸
/oʊˈtɝ/
🇬🇧
/əʊˈtɜː/
author-as-creator (esp. film director)
Etymology
'auteur' originates from French, specifically the word 'auteur', which comes from Latin 'auctor' meaning 'originator, author'.
'auteur' came into English from French in the 20th century, influenced by film criticism (auteur theory). The French 'auteur' itself comes from Latin 'auctor'.
Initially it meant 'author' or 'originator' in Latin/French, but in English it came to be used especially for film directors regarded as the 'author' of a film.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a film director who is regarded as the primary creative force and 'author' of a movie, especially in the context of auteur theory.
Many critics regard him as an auteur for his visually distinctive films.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/22 21:26