raconteur

[ rak-uhn-tur; French ra-kawn-tœr ]

noun

, plural rac·on·teurs [rak-, uh, n-, turz, r, a, -kaw, n, -, tœr].

1. a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

raconteur

/ ˌrækɒnˈtɜː /

noun

1. a person skilled in telling stories

Word History and Origins

Origin of raconteur¹

1820–30; < French, equivalent to racont ( er ) to tell ( Old French r ( e ) - re- + aconter to tell, account ) + -eur -eur

Word History and Origins

Origin of raconteur¹

C19: French, from raconter to tell

Example Sentences

The line between star and character gets thoroughly blurred in “William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill,” a profile documentary that treats Shatner, the sole interviewee, as if he were as polished as Capt. James T. Kirk — as opposed to merely being the durable, hard-working actor who played him on “Star Trek” and a terrific raconteur.

From New York Times

Malachy McCourt, 92, a New York raconteur who excelled at playing himself — an Irish bartender with a predilection for the drink — before writing a bestselling memoir that picked up his family’s bleak immigrant story where his brother’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Angela’s Ashes” left off, died Monday at a hospital in Manhattan.

From Seattle Times

Inside his ramshackle Westside home, Wally gingerly positioned his bony frame sideways on an armrest of his recliner and played the role of raconteur, narrating remarkable stories about our lineage.

From Los Angeles Times

Droll in that articulate British way that never seems to break a sweat, Ullett is an expert raconteur — crisp yet colloquial.

From Los Angeles Times

A study in contrasts — Egan, known as Bucky, was a hard-drinking raconteur; Cleven, known as Buck, was a stoic with swagger — the two men flew mission after mission, building a reputation for leadership under heavy fire.

From New York Times

Related Words

• storyteller