Definition
A professional writer who writes material (books, articles, speeches) that someone else publicly takes credit for and publishes under their own name.
Etymology
Agent noun formed from 'ghostwrite' (ghost + write + -er suffix). The term became common in the 20th century as publishing and entertainment industries expanded, creating demand for behind-the-scenes writers.
Kelly Says
Top ghostwriters can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars but remain completely anonymous—they've shaped everything from political memoirs to bestselling novels, yet most readers never know their names or that the 'author' didn't write their own book.
Translations
ARالعربية
كاتب وهمي
kaatib wahmi
BNবাংলা
ভূতলেখক
bhoot-lekhak
CACatalà
escriptor fantasma
es-kri-ptor fan-tas-ma
CSČeština
tajný spisovatel
tajny spisovatel
DADansk
ghostwriter
ghost-writer
DEDeutsch
Geistdichter
gaist-dik-ter
ELΕλληνικά
φάντασμα συγγραφέας
fan-tas-ma sug-ra-feas
ESEspañol
redactor fantasma
red-ak-tor fan-tas-ma
FAفارسی
نویسندهٔ سایه
navisandeh-ye sayeh
FISuomi
varjoilija
var-jo-li-ja
FRFrançais
rédacteur fantôme
red-ak-tewr fan-tom
HAHA
marubuci gizo
ma-ru-bu-ci gi-zo
HEעברית
כותב-דמות
kotev-dmut
HIहिन्दी
भूत लेखक
bhut lekhak
HUMagyar
háttérszerző
hatt-érszer-zo
IDBahasa Indonesia
penulis hantu
penulis han-tu
IGIG
onye edemede
o-nye e-de-me-de
ITItaliano
ghostwriter
ghost-raiter
KKKK
шептеуші жазушы
shep-te-u-shi ja-zu-shy
KMKM
អ្នកសរសេរស្អាត
a-nek sar-ses-s'a-at
KO한국어
유령 작가
yu-ryong jakga
MSBahasa Melayu
penulis bayangan
penulis bayangan
MYမြန်မာ
geist စာရေးရှင်
geist sa-ye-shing
NLNederlands
ghostwriter
ghost-writer
NONorsk
ghostwriter
ghost-writer
PLPolski
pisarz-fantom
pisarz-fan-tom
PTPortuguês
escritor fantasma
es-krit-or fan-tas-ma
RORomână
ghostwriter
ghost-writer
RUРусский
призрачный автор
prizra-chnyy avtor
SVSvenska
skribent
skri-bent
SWKiswahili
mwandishi wa roho
mwan-dishi wa ro-ho
TAதமிழ்
ப ghostwriter
pa ghost-writer
TEతెలుగు
👻 రైటర్
👻 raiter
THไทย
นักเขียนผี
nak-khian-phi
TLTL
manunulat ng multo
ma-nu-nu-lat ng mul-to
TRTürkçe
gölge yazar
golge yazar
UKУкраїнська
привид-письменник
privid-pismennyk
URاردو
غُلِمِ لکھاری
ghulam likhari
VITiếng Việt
nhà văn bóng ma
nha van bong ma
YOYO
olùgbọ́rọ̀
o-lu-gbọ́-rọ̀
ZUZU
umculi wezulu
um-cu-li we-zu-lu