01
der Autor
author
A person who writes and publishes literary, academic, or journalistic texts.
example
Der Autor liest morgen aus seinem neuen Roman vor.
The author is reading from his new novel tomorrow.
der Autor
author
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Autor' (author) belongs to a word family built around the idea of an 'originator' or 'creator'. Related words are 'autorisieren' (to authorize/approve something) and 'Autorität' (authority, influence, prestige).
EXAMPLE
Als Autor des Berichts hat er die alleinige Autorität über den Inhalt.
As the author of the report, he has sole authority over the content.
Typical collocations
In a literary context, 'Autor' (author) is often combined with adjectives such as 'bekannt' (well-known), 'berühmt' (famous), or 'unbekannt' (unknown). Compounds such as 'Bestsellerautor' (bestselling author) or 'Kinderbuchautor' (children's book author) are also very common.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist eine bekannte Autorin von Kriminalromanen.
She is a well-known author of crime novels.
Context clue
You can recognize this figurative meaning when 'Autor' (author) does not refer to a book or text, but to abstract things such as a plan, an idea, a concept, or a draft law.
EXAMPLE
Die Autoren der Studie warnen vor den Konsequenzen.
The authors of the study warn of the consequences.
Compare with
Autor vs Journalist
journalist
'der Autor' and 'der Journalist' can both be people who write and publish texts. The most important difference is the field of work. An author writes books, specialist texts, or articles, for example; the word mainly emphasizes that this person has created a text. A journalist works for the media and researches, reports, or writes about current topics. The words can be confused because a journalist can also be the author of an article. If you mean the profession in newspapers, radio, television, or online media, 'Journalist' is more precise. If you are talking generally about the person who wrote a text, 'Autor' fits better.
Autor
Der Autor erklärt in seinem Buch, wie man gesünder leben kann.
In his book, the author explains how to live a healthier life.
Journalist
Der Journalist berichtet morgen für die Zeitung über den Streik.
The journalist will report on the strike for the newspaper tomorrow.
In real life
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