SKIP TO CONTENT

authorial

/ɔˈθɔriəl/
IPA guide

Other forms: authorially

Use the adjective authorial for things that relate to the person who wrote a book, screenplay, or article. You give up your authorial control when you hand your short story over to an editor.

If you pen a novel, you may choose to give your authorial voice to a narrator, allowing them the power to reveal all the background information you want your readers to know. And your ultimate goal, the message you hope to convey in your book, can be described as authorial intent. Authorial is from author and its Latin root, auctor, "trustworthy writer."

Definitions of authorial
  1. adjective
    of, by, or typical of an author
    authorial comments”
    synonyms: auctorial
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘authorial'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family