authority

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The power or right to give orders and make people obey.

   As manager, she has the authority to hire and fire staff.

2. 2
   noun

   An official organization or government department with power over a particular area.

   The local authority is responsible for collecting the rubbish.

3. 3
   noun

   The police or other people who enforce the law (usually plural, "the authorities").

   The authorities say the suspect fled on foot.

4. 4
   noun

   Official permission to do something.

   You need written authority before entering the building.

5. 5
   noun

   An expert whose opinion on a subject is widely trusted.

   She is a leading authority on corporate law.

Common collocations

• authority figure Adjective + noun

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 (“ma…

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