Definitions for authorˈɔ θər

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

au•thorˈɔ θər(n.)

the composer of a literary work; writer.
Category: Literature
the literature produced by a writer:
to edit an author.
Category: Literature
the maker of anything; creator; originator:
the author of a new tax plan.
Computers.the writer of a software program, esp. a hypertext or multimedia application.
Category: Computers
(v.t.)to be the author of.
Category: Literature

Origin of author:

1250–1300; earlier auct(h)or, ME auto(u)r < AF < L auctor writer, progenitor <augēre to increase, augment

au•tho•ri•alɔˈθɔr i əl, ɔˈθoʊr-(adj.)

Princeton's WordNet

writer, author(noun)
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
generator, source, author(verb)
someone who originates or causes or initiates something
"he was the generator of several complaints"
author(verb)
be the author of
"She authored this play"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

author(noun)ˈɔ θər
a person who writes
a world-famous author; the author of the article

Wiktionary

author(Noun)
The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition.
author(Noun)
Someone who writes books for a living; a bookwright.
author(Verb)
To create a work as its author.

Origin: From autour, from autor, from auctor, from augeo. The is unetymological as there is no in the original Latin spelling. This may be from the spelling autheur.

Webster Dictionary

Author(noun)
the beginner, former, or first mover of anything; hence, the efficient cause of a thing; a creator; an originator
Author(noun)
one who composes or writes a book; a composer, as distinguished from an editor, translator, or compiler
Author(noun)
the editor of a periodical
Author(noun)
an informant
Author(verb)
to occasion; to originate
Author(verb)
to tell; to say; to declare