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playwright

playwright

79 5.3
A person who writes plays for the theatre
  • noun
  • /ˈpleɪˌraɪt/
translation icon : dramaturgo
  • Is there a playwright or a theatre practitioner that you think inform your technique or process more than others?
  • poets and playwrights
  • actors and playwrights
  • playwright fellowships

Genius is born, not paid, said author playwright Oscar Wilde.

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Examples

  • William is a talented playwright who has written several award-winning plays.

  • Well, as a playwright, this is a narrative space for me.

  • And now let me leave you with some words from playwright August Wilson.

  • And the money paid to playwrights would not keep a dog alive.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • I'm a successful playwright who's just had a hit!

  • Seneca was counselor to an emperor, but he was also the greatest playwright of his time.

  • And they're gonna do a workshop production of it, which is an incredible break for an unknown playwright.

  • And please welcome Ibrahim IL Husseini, the playwright behind the work we just saw.

  • In Cleveland, the local playwright was given a reception at the producer's apartment on Shaker Boulevard.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • With her is her new husband, America's most celebrated playwright and author of Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller.

Synonyms

writer
vsplaywright
1.0

A person who creates books, articles, or stories

specializes in theatre works rather than general text production
scriptwriter
vsplaywright
5 4.0

A person who makes scripts for plays, films, or TV shows

focuses on theatre works rather than multiple media
dramatist
vsplaywright
4 5.2

A person who writes plays for the theatre

is the common everyday name for that same theatre author
melodramatist
vsplaywright
8.0

A person who creates plays or films that show strong feelings and suspense

creates theatre works generally rather than only emotion-focused pieces

How Experienced

playwright
79 5.3
amateur
175 3.5

Surface Forms

playwright singular
playwrights plural

Morphology

playwright = play + wright (semi-transparent) = play + wright

The meaning is compositionally 'maker of plays', but 'wright' as 'maker' is relatively archaic and may be unfamiliar to many learners.

Etymology

The word playwright joins play and wright. The wright part is an old word meaning 'maker' and appears in words like shipwright and wheelwright, people who make ships and wheels. So a playwright is literally a 'maker' of plays, which is why it means someone who writes plays.