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Definition of ghostwriter

ghostwriter

/ˈɡoʊstˌraɪtər/
ghost · wri · ter
Plural:ghostwriters
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ghostwriter Lexical Profile

ghostwriter Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A professional writer who is hired to author books, articles, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person.

Example

"The retired senator hired a seasoned ghostwriter to help organize and draft her memoirs."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for ghostwriter

• Nearby Words

ghostlike
ghostly
ghostwrite
ghostwriter
ghostwriting
ghoul
ghoulish

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in American English in the 1920s, originally popularized by sports journalist Christy Walsh to describe the uncredited writers he hired to pen newspaper columns and books for famous athletes like Babe Ruth.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ghostwriter. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ghostwriter
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