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

He’s become a true auteur, and like many great auteurs, the Greek director has taken his new caché to explore brand new mediums, via an emerging side-passion in still photography. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2025

Over his now decade-and-a-half-long career, fans of the alt-pop auteur—real name Mike Hadreas—have only seen his work grow in scale and power, evolving from twinkling piano bedroom ballads to ambitious blasts of sonic splendor that careen through the gray areas between genre. —Liam Hess, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2025

Hungarian auteur Béla Tarr will lead the jury for the festival’s Forward Future strand. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025

There is also a vast three-dimensional screen above the jewelry display, airing silent films by Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman. —Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 27 Mar. 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