authority

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   official permission or approval

   authority for the program was renewed several times

2. 2
   noun

   the power or right to give orders or make decisions

   The judge has the authority to issue warrants.

3. 3
   noun

   an authoritative written work

   this book is the final authority on the life of Milton

4. 4
   noun

   an expert whose views are taken as definitive

   I am an authority on corporate law.

5. 5
   noun

   Power or right to make or enforce rules, give orders, or impose obligation; or a position having such power or right.

   I have the authority to penalise the staff in my department, but not the authority to sack them.

6. 6
   noun

   Persons, regarded collectively, who occupy official positions of power; police or law enforcement.

   Authorities say the suspect fled on foot.

7. 7
   noun

   A reliable, definitive source of information on a subject.

   the world's foremost authority on orangutans

8. 8
   noun

   Status as a trustworthy source of information, reputation for mastery or expertise; or claim to such status or reputation.

   Due to being inadequate for the deductive method of reasoning, the argument from authority is considered a logical fallacy.

Etymology

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…