auteur

1 of 2

noun (1)

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
ō-ˈtər-ist How to pronounce auteur (audio)
adjective or noun

auteurism

2 of 2

noun (2)

au·​teur·​ism ō-ˈtər-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce auteurism (audio)
-ˈtœr-
plural -s
: auteur theory
auteurist
ō-ˈtər-ist How to pronounce auteurism (audio)
-ˈtœr-
noun or adjective
auteuristic
ˌō-ˌtər-ˈi-stik, 
-ˌtœr-
adjective
While it might be too glib to say that Allen's art mirrors his life, it is certainly true to say that his films are auteuristic expressions of his own neuroses and concerns. —Neil Norman, Evening Standard (London), 14 Aug. 1992

Examples of auteur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But this just feels like a Spielberg auteur film to me. — Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly, 13 June 2026 But the movies these auteurs deliver defy categorization and that presents its own challenges. — Brent Lang, Variety, 18 June 2026 Stanton, by far the most science-fiction-oriented of Pixar auteurs, has a habit of merging high-tech futurism and grand-scale optimism. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 19 June 2026 The company unveiled the collaboration on its website with a video of the auteur using Flux to storyboard scenes, which involves mocking up shots before filming. — Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for auteur

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

auteur + -ism

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of auteur was in 1962

Phrases Containing auteur

Rhymes for auteur

See All Rhymes for auteur

Browse Nearby Words

Auteuil
auteur
auteurism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Auteur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auteur. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for auteur

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