raconteur
5 synonyms for raconteur, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person who is skilled at telling stories in an entertaining, vivid way, especially anecdotes from their own life.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use raconteur
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a gifted raconteur
born raconteur
wit and raconteur
Formal and complimentary, common in obituaries and profiles.
Etymology
From French raconteur, from raconter 'to relate, to tell', ultimately from conter 'to tell'.
Full origin of raconteur →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a raconteur and a storyteller?
A storyteller may perform any narrative, including fiction and folk tales, often to an audience. A raconteur works conversationally, usually with true or embellished anecdotes, and the appeal is as much in the delivery and timing as in the events.
Is there a feminine form of raconteur?
French has raconteuse, and it occasionally appears in English, but modern usage treats raconteur as applying to anyone. Most style guides now prefer the single form.
How do you pronounce raconteur?
rak-on-TUR, with the stress on the final syllable. The final -eur is closer to "tur" than "tour".
