auteur

noun

au·​teur ō-ˈtu̇r 

-ˈtər

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 

adjective or noun

Examples of auteur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are lots of great auteurs working in the horror genre today, but none of them have gotten off to a stellar start on the level of Jordan Peele, who premiered with Get Out in 2017 and dropped his third film Nope in 2022. —Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025

The film will be directed by McG, the Charlie's Angels auteur whose last five movies have been Netflix releases including Rim of the World and Family Switch. —Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 7 June 2025

With its ambition, its name cast, and its incendiary subject matter, Dogma seemed set to inaugurate a new era for Kevin Smith, indie auteur. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 June 2025

Playwright, director and auteur Polinger is currently in post on his next film The Plague, which was made independently and stars Joel Edgerton. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 4 June 2025

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

Phrases Containing auteur

• auteur theory

Rhymes for auteur

• amour
• grandeur
• hauteur
• velour
• verdure
• voyeur
• doer
• poor
• poore
• raconteur