Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A story-teller; a person given to or skilled in relating anecdotes, recounting adventures, or the like.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A relater; a storyteller.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A storyteller, especially a person noted for telling stories with skill and wit.
  • verb To make witty remarks or stories.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a person skilled in telling anecdotes

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, from raconter, to relate, from Old French : re-, re- + aconter, to count up, reckon; see account.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French, agentive of raconter ("to relate, to recount")

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Examples

  • He had a terrific sense of humor and was a great "raconteur"--look it up!

    Archive 2009-02-01 Rus Bowden 2009

  • York was known as a raconteur who loved telling jokes, including to the stone-faced negotiators for the Soviet Union during the long sessions in Geneva.

    Latest Articles Express 2009

  • Utah Phillips, a former NPR host who was blacklisted in the state of Utah after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 1968 on the Peace and Freedom party ticket can be described as a raconteur extraordinaire, a radical historian well-versed in the sorrowful details of the bloodiest social justice struggles of the last century, a hobo, and one hell of a musician whose songs can break your heart and bring your blood to a boil.

    Mutual aid for Utah Phillips: a benefit show in Minneapolis, December 15 at 6:00 PM 2007

  • Utah Phillips, a former NPR host who was blacklisted in the state of Utah after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 1968 on the Peace and Freedom party ticket can be described as a raconteur extraordinaire, a radical historian well-versed in the sorrowful details of the bloodiest social justice struggles of the last century, a hobo, and one hell of a musician whose songs can break your heart and bring your blood to a boil.

    Rad Geek People’s Daily – 2007 – December – 09 2007

  • But my father was a great "raconteur" and he just loved to have somebody come in the house and, after we'd moved to the new house as we called it where the Junior League is now, he just loved to lay back in his chair.

    Oral History Interview with George Watts Hill, January 30, 1986. Interview C-0047. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) 1986

  • But a purist who objects so forcibly to archaism and archaicism should avoid such terms as "whilom Persian Secretary" (p. 170); as anthophobia, which he is compelled to explain by "dread of selecting only what is best" (p. 175), as anthophobist (p. 176); as "fatuous ejaculations" (p. 183), as a "raconteur"

    Arabian nights. English Anonymous 1855

  • An admirable talker, 'raconteur', and mimic, with a wit's relish for wit, the charm of his good temper was irresistible.

    The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals. Vol. 1 George Gordon Byron Byron 1806

  • Describing her role as a "raconteur," she said, "Verlaine's poems are sheer romance.

    The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS 2010

  • • Brian Simpson Obituary, 2 February was indeed a gifted raconteur.

    Letters: Nukes in safe hands 2011

  • Durrell, as well as loving animals to distraction, also had the light-hearted touch of the raconteur.

    Why Johnny Morris was magic 2011

Comments

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  • Making up analogies...

    raconteur:stories

    ?:?

    August 29, 2007

  • Raccoon's on tour?

    April 23, 2008

  • Tour for raccoon.... Poaching?

    August 24, 2008