authorize

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled authorise

US /ˈɔθəɹaɪz/ UK /ˈɔːθəɹaɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #15812

Meanings

1

verb
To give someone official permission to do something.

The committee authorized the council to take up the matter.
2

verb
To officially approve something so it can happen.

The bank refused to authorize the payment.
3

verb
To give someone the power or right to act on your behalf.

I authorized my assistant to sign the papers.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give someone official... license permit

2 verb · to officially approve... pass

3 verb · to give someone the power... empower

Word family

Forms authorisedauthorisesauthorizedauthorizesauthorizing

Etymology

From Middle English auctorisen, from Old French auctorisier, from Medieval Latin auctōrizāre, from Latin auctor. See author about the orthography with ⟨h⟩. Doublet of octroy.

*h₂ewg- Proto-Indo-European auctorisen Middle English auctorisier Old French auctorizo la-med auctor Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# authorize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈɔθəɹaɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɔːθəɹaɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 15812

## Meanings
1. To give someone official permission to do something.
2. To officially approve something so it can happen.
3. To give someone the power or right to act on your behalf.

## Examples
- The committee authorized the council to take up the matter.
- The bank refused to authorize the payment.
- I authorized my assistant to sign the papers.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂ewg-
- Root: auctorisen
- Root: auctorisier
- Root: auctorizo
- Root: auctor

## Etymology
From Middle English auctorisen, from Old French auctorisier, from Medieval Latin auctōrizāre, from Latin auctor. See author about the orthography with ⟨h⟩. Doublet of octroy.

## AI Etymology
Authorize comes from Middle English auctorisen, from Old French auctorisier, from Medieval Latin auctōrizāre, from Latin auctor. Compare author about the orthography with ⟨h⟩. Doublet of octroy. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg- and la-med auctorizo.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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