Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "lexicographer" shine mutumin da ya rubuta ko kuma tsara ƙamus. Musamman, mawallafin ƙamus shine wanda ya yi nazari kuma ya rubuta ma'anoni, asalinsu, amfani, da kuma furcin kalmomi a cikin wani harshe ko harsuna. Wannan ya haɗa da bincike mai zurfi, bincike, da fassarar bayanan harshe daga wurare daban-daban kamar wallafe-wallafe, takardun tarihi, da haɗin gwiwar harshe. Aikin mawallafin ƙamus yana da mahimmanci wajen kiyayewa da haɓaka fahimta da amfani da harshe.