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

Büttner added that authentication analysis included a microscopic examination of the paint layers, which revealed blue and green pigments consistent with Rubens' treatment of human skin. —NPR, 30 Nov. 2025

And ultimately, deeper political commitment to authentication could help reverse the public’s broad distrust of AI companies and facilitate more comfort around AI’s integration into our lives. —Jerel Ezell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

Anusha was joined by Moon Baz, director of global partnerships for the Middle East, Africa and Türkiye at Meta; Jon S Maloy, co-founder and chief creative officer of Bureau Beatrice; and Nicola Ghin, director of authentication at The Luxury Closet. —Hyku Desesto, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025

Since the information contains fresh, valid authentication codes and the correct PIN, the machine treats it like a real card. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025

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