Authentic — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ə-ˈthen-tik/ au·then·tic

Meaning & Definition of Authentic

Authentic (adjective)

  1. not false or imitation, real, actual
  2. true to one's own personality, spirit, or character
  3. worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact

Authentic (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being exactly as appears or as claimed

    "found an authentic Native American arrowhead"

    similar: bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum (Australian & New Zealand), echt, genuine, honest, pukka, real, right, sure-enough, true, for real
    related: actual, historical, original, lawful, legal, legitimate, identifiable, recognizable, verifiable, proven, substantiated, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, undeniable, undoubted, unmistakable, unquestionable, veritable, very, accurate, correct, proper, pure, unadulterated, unalloyed
    opposite: bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal
    near: artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic, unnatural, concocted, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive, delusive, delusory, misleading

  2. following an original exactly

    "an authentic reconstruction of the Parthenon as it is believed to have looked when first built"

    similar: accurate, exact, faithful, precise, right, strict, true, veracious
    related: lifelike, realistic, careful, conscientious, meticulous, punctilious, scrupulous, authoritative, bona fide, genuine, real, veridical
    opposite: corrupt, corrupted, false, imprecise, inaccurate, inauthentic, inexact, loose, unfaithful
    near: careless, slack, slipshod, slovenly, erroneous, incorrect, invalid, off, unsound, untrue, untruthful, wrong

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Authentic

The most common words with a similar meaning to Authentic:

Australian & New Zealand: dinkum
bona fide, certifiable, certified, echt, genuine, honest, pukka, real, right, sure-enough, true, accurate, exact, faithful, precise, strict, veracious, for real

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Authentic

Words with the opposite meaning of Authentic:

bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal, corrupt, corrupted, imprecise, inaccurate, inauthentic, inexact, loose, unfaithful

Related Words for Authentic

actual, historical, original, lawful, legal, legitimate, identifiable, recognizable, verifiable, proven, substantiated, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, undeniable, undoubted, unmistakable, unquestionable, veritable, very, correct, proper, pure, unadulterated, unalloyed, lifelike

Near Antonyms of Authentic

artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic, unnatural, concocted, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive, delusive, delusory, misleading, careless, slack, slipshod, slovenly, erroneous, incorrect, invalid, off, unsound, untrue, untruthful, wrong

Word Forms of Authentic

Derived words: authentically (adverb), authenticity (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Authentic

Middle English autentik, auctentyke, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French autentik, autentique, borrowed from Medieval Latin autenticus, authenticus, auctenticus "original, genuine (of a document), authoritative, approved by authority," going back to Latin authenticus "original (of a document)," borrowed from Greek authentikós "warranted as genuine, original, authoritative," probably from authentía "absolute sway, authority" (from authéntēs "doer, master" + -ia -ia:1) + -ikos -ic:1; authéntēs, in earlier Greek "killer, murderer, perpetrator of a deed," from aut- aut- + -hentēs, from hen- (going back to Indo-European *senh2-, full-grade ablaut of zero-grade *sn̥-ne-h2, whence Greek ánymi, anýnai "to complete, achieve, perpetrate") + -tēs, agent suffix

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Authentic

Frequently Asked Questions about Authentic

What does "Authentic" mean?

"Authentic" means not false or imitation, real, actual. As an adjective, it is defined as: not false or imitation, real, actual. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Authentic"?

Other words for "Authentic" include bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum, echt, genuine, honest and pukka. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Authentic" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Authentic"?

There are 57 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Authentic". Common alternatives include bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum, echt, genuine, honest, pukka, real and right.

What is the opposite of "Authentic"?

Antonyms of "Authentic" include bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo and sham. Near antonyms include artificial, factitious, imitation and man-made.

How do you use "Authentic" in a sentence?

Examples of "Authentic" in a sentence: "found an authentic Native American arrowhead"; "an authentic reconstruction of the Parthenon as it is believed to have looked when first built".

Is "Authentic" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Authentic" is an adjective.

Is "Authentic" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Authentic" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Authentic"?

"Authentic" is pronounced /ə-ˈthen-tik/ and divided into syllables as au·then·tic.