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.

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Other Word Forms

• reauthentication noun

Etymology

Origin of authentication

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

Example Sentences

And if you log in with a passkey instead of a password, sites typically won’t ask you for a second level of identity verification, such as a two-factor authentication code sent to your phone.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It changes the scale and sophistication of digital deception and heralds a new vernacular of technical concepts related to detection and authentication that voters must now grapple with.”

From Los Angeles Times

I’m not quite ready to blame our national loneliness epidemic on two-factor authentication and automated help desks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yes, passwords if you have them, but just the caveat that a lot of things are two-factor authentication today.

From Barron's

In the event that a caller could guess the right answer, Martino suggests having a backup question as well—a type of two-factor authentication.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• certification
• verification