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Which 19th-century publication became an authority in the field of medicine?

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authority

American  

[uh-thawr-i-tee, uh-thor-] / əˈθɔr ɪ ti, əˈθɒr- /

noun

• authorities
  plural

1. 

   the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.

   Synonyms:

   persuasion, sway, power, rule

2. a power or right delegated or given; authorization.

   Who has the authority to grant permission?

3. a person or body of persons in whom authority is vested, as a governmental agency.

   The housing authority provides rental assistance payments to low-income residents.

   The bridges and piers are built and maintained by the Port Authority.

   Synonyms:

   arbiter, sovereign

4. Usually authorities persons having the legal power to make and enforce the law; government.

   They finally persuaded the authorities that they were not involved in espionage.

5. an accepted source of information, advice, etc..

   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the leading authority on vaccines and immunizations.

6. a quotation or citation from such a source.

7. an expert on a subject.

   He is an authority on baseball.

8. persuasive force; cogency.

   She spoke with authority.

9. a statute, court rule, or judicial decision that establishes a rule or principle of law; a ruling.

10. right to respect or acceptance of one's word, command, thought, etc.; commanding influence.

    the authority of a parent;

    the authority of a great writer.

11. mastery in execution or performance, as of a work of art or literature or a piece of music.

12. a warrant for action; justification.

13. testimony; witness.

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authority British  

/ ɔːˈθɒrɪtɪ /

noun

1. the power or right to control, judge, or prohibit the actions of others

2. (often plural) a person or group of people having this power, such as a government, police force, etc

3. a position that commands such a power or right (often in the phrase in authority )

4. such a power or right delegated, esp from one person to another; authorization

   she has his authority

5. the ability to influence or control others

   a man of authority

6. an expert or an authoritative written work in a particular field

   he is an authority on Ming china

7. evidence or testimony

   we have it on his authority that she is dead

8. confidence resulting from great expertise

   the violinist lacked authority in his cadenza

9. (capital when part of a name) a public board or corporation exercising governmental authority in administering some enterprise

   Independent Broadcasting Authority

10. law

    1. a judicial decision, statute, or rule of law that establishes a principle; precedent

    2. legal permission granted to a person to perform a specified act

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Usage

What are other ways to say authority? The noun authority refers to the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues. When should you use this noun over control or influence? Find out on Thesaurus.com. 

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antiauthority
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• authorities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of authority

First recorded in 1200–50; earlier auct(h)oritie, from Latin auctōritās “power, influence, prestige,” equivalent to auctor “authority, originator, supporter” ( see author) + -itās -ity

Explanation

If you have the authority to do something, you have the right or power to do it. You are the big cheese. Or, if you know more about a topic than most, you are an authority on that topic. Giving someone authority grants them the power to make important decisions or have accepted opinions. When you leave your kids with a babysitter, you give her the authority to put them to bed at 7 p.m., no matter how much they insist you let them stay up until midnight. You'll feel more confident leaving the babysitter in charge of bedtime decisions if she's written two books on the subject and is an authority, or renowned expert, on children's sleep habits. Being an authority on children's sleep habits helps your babysitter enforce that 7 p.m. bedtime, but it may not convince the kids.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

authority authorities

And on homeless encampments, her team said a mayor lacks the legal authority to block council members from creating new no-camping zones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

His government re-established its authority across the country and restored it to its proper function of defending life and property without destroying democracy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

But the developments have sparked backlash in many countries, with a Finnish authority recently ordering work to halt on two Google data centre sites pending mandatory environmental assessments.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

Shane Graham, chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, a Māori authority, said the return was a momentous occasion.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

I give Pirrip as my father’s family name, on the authority of his tombstone and my sister,—Mrs. Joe Gargery, who married the blacksmith.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

The authorities are all the more keen to see the student protests end given that online activists have called for demonstrations next Saturday to protest the cost of living.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

On Sunday morning, a man died at Dockweiler Beach, and authorities were investigating whether he drowned due to storm conditions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Neither the Egyptian government nor the de facto Sudanese authorities have so far commented.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The airport has since been closed, but is currently set to reopen at midnight Sunday while authorities investigate the scale of the damage, according to a notice to operators from the airport.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Upon his recapture, he was confined to the ramshackle house again so authorities could keep a closer eye on him.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• force
• government
• jurisdiction
• rule