Dictionary

authoritative en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɔːˈθɒɹɪtətɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈθɔɹɪˌteɪtɪv/ (General-American)
• /əˈθɑɹɪtɪv/ (proscribed)
• /ɔ-/ (General-American)
• /əˈθɔɹɪtɪv/ (proscribed)
• /ɔːˈθɒɹɪtɪv/ (proscribed)
• /ɔ-/ (proscribed)
• /əˈθɑɹɪˌteɪtɪv/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₂owg-éye-ti Proto-Italic *augejō 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 authorit(y) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English -ative English authoritative From authorit(y) + -ative.

Meanings

1. Arising or originating from a figure of authority.
   • The authoritative rules in this school come not from the headmaster but from the aged matron.
2. Highly accurate or definitive; treated or worthy of treatment as a scholarly authority.
   • This book is the world's most authoritative guide to insect breeding habits.
3. Having a commanding style.
   • The fourth model is called the enlightment model: Actors are seen to be responsible for problems but unable or unwilling to provide solutions. They are believed to need discipline provided by authoritative guidance. The Alcoholic Anonymous^([sic]) groups are considered prototypical for this model. 2013 June 29, Leo Montada, “Coping with Life Stress”, in Herman Steensma, Riël Vermunt, editors, Social Justice in Human Relations Volume 2: Societal and Psychological Consequences of Justice and Injustice, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 26:
   • Woke is here to undermine Star Trek and Starfleet, so, in this conflict, Holly Hunter’s character manifests feminine traits instead of authoritative ones: she’s emotional, uncertain and vulnerable. 2026 January 29, “Woke rhetoric & design in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Paramount / CBS, 2026)”, in An Actor Explains, via Substack, archived from the original on 02 Feb 2026:
   • He instructed us in that booming, authoritative voice of his.

Forms

Deriveds

authoritativeness · unauthoritative · inauthoritative · authoritatively · nonauthoritative

Synonyms

magisterial · grave · of record · sterling · precise · oracular · ex cathedra · masterful · definitive · proper · formal

Translations (76)

de maßgebend (accurate or definitive) · es oficial (originating from a figure of authority) · uk авторите́тний (accurate or definitive) · ru официа́льный (originating from a figure of authority) · pl autorytatywny (having a commanding style) · cs autoritářský (having a commanding style) · cmn 有權威的 /有权威的 (accurate or definitive) · cmn 命令式的 (having a commanding style) · uk авторите́тний (having a commanding style) · it autoritario (having a commanding style) · fr majeur (accurate or definitive) · fr autorisé (originating from a figure of authority) · bg авторитарен (originating from a figure of authority) · grc αὐθεντικός (accurate or definitive) · pt completo (accurate or definitive) · ru повели́тельный (having a commanding style) · uk авторите́тний (originating from a figure of authority) · de tonangebend (accurate or definitive) · bg авторитетен (accurate or definitive) · pt oficial (originating from a figure of authority) · es autoritativo (originating from a figure of authority) · eo aŭtoritata (accurate or definitive) · fi virallinen (originating from a figure of authority) · io autoritatoza (having a commanding style) · de führend (accurate or definitive) · de gebieterisch (having a commanding style) · cs autoritativní (originating from a figure of authority) · cmn 權威的 /权威的 (originating from a figure of authority) · fr autoritaire (accurate or definitive) · fi käskevä (having a commanding style) · sv myndig (having a commanding style) · pt respeitado (accurate or definitive) · io autoritatoza (originating from a figure of authority) · cmn 官方的 (originating from a figure of authority) · sv auktoritativ (accurate or definitive) · fr autorisé (accurate or definitive) · it autorevole (originating from a figure of authority) · pt autoritativo (accurate or definitive) · ka ავტორიტეტული (accurate or definitive) · es autorizado (accurate or definitive) · de maßgeblich (accurate or definitive) · pt legal (originating from a figure of authority) · it autoritario (accurate or definitive) · de autoritativ (originating from a figure of authority) · uk вла́дний (having a commanding style) · fi määräilevä (having a commanding style) · pt definitivo (accurate or definitive) · pt autoritário (having a commanding style) · fr magistériel (having a commanding style) · de offiziell (originating from a figure of authority) · no myndig (having a commanding style) · ru достове́рный (accurate or definitive) · cmn 權威的 /权威的 (accurate or definitive) · cmn 當局的 /当局的 (originating from a figure of authority) · ru авторите́тный (accurate or definitive) · fr autoritaire (originating from a figure of authority) · bg достоверен (accurate or definitive) · cmn 正式的 (originating from a figure of authority) · ru вла́стный (having a commanding style) · es fidedigno (accurate or definitive) · mi pūkorero (accurate or definitive) · ka ავტორიტეტიანი (accurate or definitive) · el αυθεντικός (accurate or definitive) · cmn 可信的 (accurate or definitive) · fi arvovaltainen (originating from a figure of authority) · fi auktoritatiivinen (originating from a figure of authority) · de vorherrschend (accurate or definitive) · fi arvovaltainen (accurate or definitive) · pl autorytatywny (originating from a figure of authority) · bg заповеднически (having a commanding style) · es autoritario (having a commanding style) · fi auktoritatiivinen (accurate or definitive) · pl miarodajny (accurate or definitive) · cs autoritativní (accurate or definitive) · fr officiel (originating from a figure of authority) · no myndig (originating from a figure of authority)