authentic
adj.adj. real, true, or original. You use this to describe something that is not a copy and is exactly what it claims to be.
adj. conforming to an original or fact; not imaginary, false, or imitated. Often used to describe cultural artifacts, emotions, or historical reconstructions that maintain fidelity to their source.
The restaurant serves authentic Italian food.
The museum verified that the signature on the painting was authentic and not a modern forgery.
Scholars debate whether the performance was truly authentic, as the musicians used modern strings on their period instruments, potentially altering the intended baroque timbre.
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.
Commonly modifies nouns related to identity, origin, or emotion; often contrasted with 'fake' or 'artificial'.