English Explanatory Dictionary

authority

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Power or right to make or enforce rules, give orders, or impose obligation; or a position having such power or right.
  2. Persons, regarded collectively, who occupy official positions of power; police or law enforcement.
  3. A reliable, definitive source of information on a subject.
  4. Status as a trustworthy source of information, reputation for mastery or expertise; or claim to such status or reputation.
  5. Official permission; authorisation to act in some capacity on behalf of a ruling entity.
  6. A government-owned agency that runs a revenue-generating activity for public benefit.

Pronunciation

/ɔːˈθɒɹəti/ /ɔːˈθɒɹɪti/ /əˈθɔɹədi/ /əˈθɔɹəti/ [əˈθɔɹəɾi] /əˈθɔɹti/ [əˈθɔɹɾi] /əˈθɑɹəti/ [əˈθɑɹəɾi] /əˈθɑɹti/ [əˈθɑɹɾi] en-us-authority.ogg /ɒːˈtɒɹɪti/ /ɔˈt̪hɔ.rɪ.ʈi/ /əˈt̪ɔ.rɪ.ʈi/

Word forms

authority authorities authourity authoritie autority auctoritie

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂weg- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg-der. Proto-Italic *augeō Latin augeō Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin auctor Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Proto-Italic *-tāts Latin -tās Latin auctōritāsbor. Old French autoritébor. Middle English auctorite English authority From Middle English auctorite, autorite (“authority, book or quotation that settles an argument”), from Old French auctorité, from Latin stem of auctōritās (“invention, advice, opinion, influence, command”), from auctor (“master, leader, author”). For the presence of the h, compare the etymology of author.

Synonyms

command rulership sovereignty control gravitas cred jurisdiction leave sanction allowance authority authorization clearance consent license mandate permission permit warrant

Antonyms

impotence powerlessness

Related words

author authoritarian authoritative authorization authorize have something on good authority

Derived words

aileron authority antiauthority appeal to authority authoritah authority control authority figure authority issues authorityless authoritywise certificate authority color of authority combined authority elevator authority enforcement authority local authority moral authority multiauthority port authority postal authority public authority rudder authority signature authority statutory authority tax authority territorial authority unitary authority verbal authority

Translations

Georgian: ავტორიტეტი Spanish: autoridad
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