authentic
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
real and true; not a copy or a fake.
of undisputed origin; genuine and not a counterfeit or copy.
Simple“The museum confirmed that the painting was an authentic work by Picasso.”
In context“Experts spent months verifying the signature to ensure the document was an authentic historical record rather than a clever forgery.”
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
made or done in a traditional way so that it feels real.
conforming to an original or traditional style, especially in cooking, art, or performance.
Simple“We went to a restaurant that serves authentic Italian pasta.”
In context“The director insisted on using authentic period costumes to maintain the historical integrity of the film's nineteenth-century setting.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a technical word used to describe certain types of scales or endings in music.
designating a musical mode where the final is the lowest note, or a cadence where the dominant chord precedes the tonic.
Simple“The piece ends with an authentic cadence, making the music feel finished.”
In context“The composition is written in an authentic mode, which gives the melody its distinctively grounded and traditional character.”
Antonymsplagal - 04 C1 Advanced
having the power or authority to be believed.
possessing authority or being worthy of trust and belief.
Simple“The judge provided an authentic interpretation of the old law.”
In context“The scholar sought an authentic voice on the matter, consulting only those texts written by the original witnesses of the event.”
Synonyms
“The song is written by KT Tunstall , whose indie folk rock score lends an authentic edge to the story, complemented by Joe’s beats, under the musical direction of Michael John McCarthy.”
“Google’s 100 billion SynthID images and videos are just the tip of an iceberg that has already eclipsed authentic content on the Internet.”
From Middle English authentik, from Old French autentique, from Latin authenticus, from Ancient Greek αὐθεντικός (authentikós, “authentic, genuine”), from Ancient Greek αὐθέντης (authéntēs, “perpetrator, murderer, absolute ruler”). Doublet of effendi.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.