autograph

1 of 3

noun

au·​to·​graph ˈȯ-tə-ˌgraf 

: something written or made with one's own hand:

a

: an original manuscript or work of art

b

: a person's handwritten signature

autography

ȯ-ˈtä-grə-fē 

noun

autograph

2 of 3

adjective

: being in the writer's own handwriting : not copied or duplicated

an autograph letter

autograph

3 of 3

verb

autographed; autographing; autographs

transitive verb

1

: to write with one's own hand

2

: to write one's signature in or on

autograph a book

Synonyms

Noun

• hand
• John Hancock
• signature

Verb

• ink
• sign
• subscribe

Examples of autograph in a Sentence

Noun

We asked her for her autograph.

There were several autograph seekers outside the theater.

Verb

asked the baseball player to autograph the bill of his cap

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Today Clinton will be meeting with fans, signing autographs, and celebrating the launch of THE FUNK with his longtime friend Khalifa, who opened his first ‘Khalifa Kush’ store-in-store at Planet 13. —Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 8 May 2025

The actor shook hands with fans gathered outside the theater's stage door and signed autographs after the birthday night performance, which came days after the star received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his Broadway debut. —Tommy McArdle, People.com, 7 May 2025

Adjective

Lamar Jackson is coming back to the Louisville area this weekend when the former University of Louisville quarterback holds two autograph signing events at Planet Fitness clubs. —Jake Lourim, The Courier-Journal, 9 Jan. 2018

That attracted autograph seekers and fans waiting for Manning to arrive. —Clifton Brown, Indianapolis Star, 5 Oct. 2017

Verb

The fan can bring one guest with them, along with up to four items for Simmons to autograph. —Marina Watts, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025

New to this year’s Fan Zone is the opportunity to bid on authentic Chiefs items autographed by many of the team’s superstars. —The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from New Latin autographum "manuscript in a person's own handwriting, the author's own manuscript," noun derivative from neuter of Latin autographus "written in one's own hand," borrowed from Greek autógraphos, from auto- auto- + -graphos -graph

Note: Early Modern English has besides autograph the forms with Latin and Greek endings autographum and autographon. Compare French (sixteenth century) aftographe, autographe "manuscript in the hand of the author," another possible direct source for the English word.

Adjective

borrowed from Latin & Greek; Latin autographus "written in one's own hand," borrowed from Greek autógraphos — more at autograph entry 1

Verb

derivative of autograph entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing autograph

• autograph book

Rhymes for autograph

• biograph
• cenotaph
• chronograph
• epigraph
• epitaph
• hodograph
• holograph
• hydrograph
• lithograph
• micrograph
• monograph
• multigraph

Kids Definition

autograph

1 of 2 noun

au·​to·​graph ˈȯt-ə-ˌgraf 

: a person's signature written by hand

autograph

2 of 2 verb

: to write one's signature in or on