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Author

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a writer of a book

Where does the word "author" come from? It comes from Latin auctor, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

auctor→autor→author

Latin · ancient

"originator, promoter"

from 'augere', to increase, the root of 'augment'

Old French · medieval

used of God as creator and of writers

English · 1300s

the 'h' was added in the 1500s, as if from Greek

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Read the full story

Author’s story begins in Latin: auctor meant “originator, promoter.” From 'augere', to increase, the root of 'augment'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as autor. Used of God as creator and of writers. It reached English by 1300s as author. The 'h' was added in the 1500s, as if from Greek. Today, author means a writer of a book.