auteur

noun

au·​teur ō-ˈtu̇r How to pronounce auteur (audio)
-ˈtər
Synonyms of auteurnext
1
: a film director whose practice accords with the auteur theory
broadly : director sense c
2
: an artist (such as a musician or writer) whose style and practice are distinctive
auteurist adjective or noun

Examples of auteur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Juliette Binoche has spent four decades embodying the restless intelligence of French and European cinema, moving effortlessly between auteurs and emotional registers. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026 Like those auteurs, Lisa McGee broke through with a sui generis comedy that mined aspects of her own experience to find authentic humor in a harrowing situation. Judy Berman, Time, 13 Feb. 2026 In the years since, Waltz has taken on roles in high-profile films, often working with auteurs like Tim Burton, Alexander Payne and Walter Hill. William Earl, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026 Trier seems to have consolidated the Euro vote, and the directing lineup doesn’t feel complete without one Scandinavian auteur. Nate Jones, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for auteur

Word History

Etymology

French, originator, author, from Old French autor, from Latin auctor — more at author

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of auteur was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Auteur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auteur. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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