authenticate

American  

[aw-then-ti-keyt] / ɔˈθɛn tɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

authenticated, authenticating

1. to establish as genuine.

   Synonyms:

   substantiate, validate, confirm

2. to establish the authorship or origin of conclusively or unquestionably, chiefly by the techniques of scholarship.

   to authenticate a painting.

3. to make authoritative or valid.

---

authenticate British  

/ ɔːˈθɛntɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to establish as genuine or valid

2. to give authority or legal validity to

---

Other Word Forms

• authenticatable
  adjective
• authentication
  noun
• authenticator
  noun
• nonauthenticated
  adjective
• nonauthentication
  noun
• reauthenticate
  verb (used with object)
• self-authenticating
  adjective
• unauthenticated
  adjective
• well-authenticated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of authenticate

First recorded in 1565–75; from Medieval Latin authenticātus “made authentic” (past participle of authenticāre ). See authentic, -ate ¹

Explanation

When you authenticate something, you establish that it’s the real thing. If you authenticate a painting, for example, you’re sure that it's an original work, not a copy. The verb authenticate came into English in the seventeenth century by way of the Latin word authenticat-, meaning “established as valid.” You’ve probably heard it to mean that a valuable item, like a diamond or a rare vase, is genuine. But not everything that has to be authenticated is worth a lot of money. For example, experts authenticate evidence in an investigation and you authenticate your identity to gain access to your email account.

Example Sentences

Authenticate, aw-thent′ik-āt, v.t. to make authentic: to prove genuine: to give legal validity to: to certify the authorship of.—ns.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Related Words

• attest
• corroborate
• substantiate
• validate
• verify