Learn English – What do you call the “owner” of an idea

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I recently found myself in a situation where I wanted to use a line that went something like this:

"…we must examine the effects these ideas had on their respective creators…"

and I just couldn't find the right word in place of "creators". Something feels off about "creators". We don't create thoughts we have thoughts or we think thoughts. "Owners" doesn't really work as no one can "own" a thought, and "thinkers" sounds too childish.

What other words are there that describe "the person who came up with an idea"?

Best Answer

to conceive (verb):

Defn. 2 - Form or devise (a plan or idea) in the mind

"the dam project was originally conceived in 1977"

Derived noun forms include conceiver or conceptor

Source: ODO

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