authentication

American  

[aw-then-ti-key-shuhn] / ɔˌθɛn tɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of establishing something as genuine or authoritative.

   The requisite authentication was performed on each piece before it was donated to the museum.

2. Also called electronic authentication.  Digital Technology. the act or process of establishing identity and verifying permission to access an electronic device or computer network (often used attributively): biometric authentication;

   password authentication;

   biometric authentication;

   authentication credentials.

---

Other Word Forms

• reauthentication
  noun

Etymology

Origin of authentication

First recorded in 1600–20; authenticat(e) ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

The ICO's probe was conducted in coordination with Canada's privacy commissioner and found 23andMe violated UK law by failing to implement appropriate authentication and verification measures for customers during its login process.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Since at least the Obama administration, the U.S. had been largely focused on defensive measures to protect elections, like multifactor authentication and encryption, which make it harder to compromise systems in the first place.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

They log in to the borrower’s account and request a password change, which will send a two-factor authentication code to the borrower.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

The company’s value-added services and solutions business, which includes fraud prevention and data analytics, also had higher revenue, driven by growth in security, digital and authentication services.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

"I needed authentication from the Attorney General," said the Warden.

From "Holes" by Louis Sachar

Related Words

• certification
• verification