a composer of words or music for popular songs
"The famous songwriter spent hours crafting lyrics and melodies for her latest hit single."
A musician who composes songs; including writing the song's lyrics and creating a melody or tune for the song.
"The famous songwriter spent years crafting melodies and penning heartfelt lyrics for his hit album."
In plain English: A songwriter is someone who writes both the music and lyrics for songs.
"The famous songwriter wrote hits that everyone knows and sings along to at karaoke bars."
Usage: Use "songwriter" to refer specifically to someone who creates both the music and lyrics, distinguishing them from composers who may only write instrumental pieces. In casual conversation, you might hear it used interchangeably with "musician," but technically not all musicians are songwriters.
The word songwriter is a straightforward combination of the words song and writer. It was first used to describe someone who composes lyrics or music for songs.