Spanish word

cantautor

Pronunciation

IPA/kantauˈtoɾ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsinger-songwriter

Example

¿Conoces a algún cantautor local?

Do you know any local singer-songwriters?

Illustration for cantautor (singer-songwriter)

More examples

El cantautor debutante presentó su primer álbum anoche.

The debuting singer-songwriter presented his first album last night.

Core concept

Performer who writes their own lyrics and music.

Common phrases

  • cantautor debutante

    debuting singer-songwriter

  • cantautor internacional

    international singer-songwriter

  • cantautor de folk

    folk singer-songwriter

Similar words

cantante: Sings songs as a vocalist, focusing on vocal performance.
compositor: Creates musical compositions and arrangements for voices or instruments.
letrista: Writes song lyrics, focusing on words, themes, and rhyme.
músico: Plays musical instruments, providing melody or accompaniment.

Definition in Spanish

Persona que compone las letras y la música de sus canciones y además las interpreta personalmente.

Word origin

Built from cantar 'to sing' + autor 'author', originally applied in the 20th century to performers who compose both lyrics and melodies and sing them.

Usage tips

  • Commonly used for popular or folk musicians who write and perform their songs, not usually for classical composers or performers who only interpret others' works.

Related words

  • cantautorafemale singer-songwriternoun
  • cantautoríasinger-songwriter activitynoun
  • cantautoralsinger-songwriter-relatedadjective

Word lists with this word