AUTHENTICATE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

AUTHENTICATE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com Synonyms authenticate American [aw- then -ti-keyt] / ɔˈθɛn tɪˌkeɪt / verb (used with object) authenticated, authenticating to establish as genuine. Synonyms: substantiate , validate , confirm to establish the authorship or origin of conclusively or unquestionably, chiefly by the techniques of scholarship. to authenticate a painting. to make authoritative or valid. authenticate British / ɔːˈθɛntɪˌkeɪt / verb to establish as genuine or valid to give authority or legal validity to "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 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. Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com Vocabulary lists containing authenticate This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for September 7–September 13, 2024 Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide! Honus & Me Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use! Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 2 Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time! Example Sentences Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com. "In this study we show how to authenticate a biomarker, verifying that a signal truly comes from life rather than contamination or non-biological chemistry," Shawar adds. From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026 Nanos also said the sheriff's office had received a copy of a ransom note and was working with the FBI to authenticate it. From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026 Companies like Beckett Grading Services and Professional Sports Authenticator, or PSA, which authenticate and grade the quality of collectible sports cards, now do the same with Pokemon cards. From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026 Official media has largely played down the protests but videos have flooded social media, many of which are difficult to authenticate, or have even been manipulated. From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026 Would it be contrary to medical ethics in the HeLa cell’s coming-of-age year to authenticate the name and let He . From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot Related Words attest corroborate substantiate validate verify Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023 Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.