authentication

noun

au·​then·​ti·​ca·​tion ə-ˌthen-ti-ˈkā-shən 

ȯ-

plural authentications

: an act, process, or method of showing something (such as an identity, a piece of art, or a financial transaction) to be real, true, or genuine : the act or process of authenticating something

Historically, the authentication of art fell to connoisseurs …

—Colette Bancroft

Encryption and decryption, combined with user authentication, ensure that only intended recipients read the messages.

—Sal Ricciardi

Mostly, notaries have to be adept at the authentication arts. In an era of multiple-personality disorder, cross-dressing, sex-change surgery and bogus IDs, people aren't always who they appear to be. On the notary public rests the responsibility to verify a person's true identity and attest to it.

—Colette Bancroft

Giving users a way to prove that they're being harassed with, say, a screenshot or some other form of authentication could help Twitter catch bad actors, even after they've covered their tracks.

—Issie Lapowsky

—often used before another noun

authentication codes

authentication techniques

authentication keys

Examples of authentication in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just know that some logo buttons are genuine, some are replacements and some are reproductions, so authentication matters. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

And to prevent knock-offs, the collectible will feature the company’s new authentication packaging via its partnership with Octane5 and use micro-optic technology. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026

Investor capital is pooled into a structured vehicle that acquires investment-grade handbags meeting strict authentication and quality standards. — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

These passwords allowed the threat actors to move laterally to compromise Active Directory environments and other centralized authentication systems. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

authentic(ate) + -ation

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing authentication

• multifactor authentication
• two-factor authentication

Rhymes for authentication

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration