What does "authority" mean?

1. (power or right) the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce rules. 2. (the people in charge) the people or organisations that are in charge of a particular country or area. 3. (an expert) a person who has a lot of knowledge about a specific subject. 4. (official permission) official permission to do something. 5. (public agency) a government organisation that manages a public service, like transport or water.

How do you use "authority"?

Often used with the preposition 'over' or 'to'. Commonly followed by the preposition 'on'. Often used in the phrase 'under the authority of'.

Is it correct to say "The authority are investigating the crime."?

No — say "The authorities are investigating the crime.". When referring to the police or government bodies as a group, use the plural form 'authorities'.

authority

US //əˈθɔɹəti// UK //ɐθˈɒɹɪtˌi// au·thor·i·ty

1 power or right (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce rules.

the institutional or legal power to command, make decisions, or enforce obedience. Often uncountable in this sense.

Example

The captain has the authority to decide when the ship leaves the port.

Example

The manager exercised her authority by dismissing the staff members who consistently failed to meet safety standards.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'over' or 'to'.
- powerlessness
2 the people in charge (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the people or organisations that are in charge of a particular country or area.

the collective body of persons or the administrative department in which power is vested. Usually plural when referring to the police or government officials.

Example

You should report the stolen car to the local authorities immediately.

Example

The health authorities issued a warning after several cases of food poisoning were linked to the local market.
- officials
- government
- administration
Pitfall

The authority are investigating the crime.

The authorities are investigating the crime.

When referring to the police or government bodies as a group, use the plural form 'authorities'.

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3 an expert (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

a person who has a lot of knowledge about a specific subject.

a person or text regarded as a definitive and reliable source of information or expertise on a subject.

Example

She is a leading authority on ancient Greek history and has written many books.

Example

The professor is widely considered the preeminent authority on climate change patterns in the Arctic region.

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'on'.
- amateur
- layman
4 official permission (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal Law

official permission to do something.

formal or legal authorisation to act in a specific capacity or to perform a particular task.

Example

He acted without authority when he signed the contract for the company.

Example

The agent lacked the legal authority to sell the property without the owner's written consent.

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'under the authority of'.
- prohibition
5 public agency (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a government organisation that manages a public service, like transport or water.

a public administrative body or government-owned agency responsible for a specific public service or infrastructure.

Example

The local housing authority is building new apartments for families in the city.

Example

The transit authority announced a significant increase in bus fares to cover the rising costs of fuel and maintenance.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂weg- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg-der. Proto-Italic *augeō Latin augeō Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin auctor Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Proto-Italic *-tāts Latin -tās Latin auctōritāsbor. Old French autoritébor. Middle English auctorite English authority From Middle English auctorite, autorite (“authority, book or quotation that settles an argument”), from Old French auctorité, from Latin stem of auctōritās (“invention, advice, opinion, influence, command”), from auctor (“master, leader, author”). For the presence of the h, compare the etymology of author.