two-factor authentication

noun

two-fac·​tor authentication ˈtü-ˈfak-tər- 

: a method of verifying the identity of a person (as for granting access to a system) by requiring a password and an additional form of authorization (such as a code, a fingerprint, or a smartphone app)

—abbreviation 2FA compare multi-factor authentication

Examples of two-factor authentication in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Strong passwords, a password manager and two-factor authentication (2FA) help protect your accounts. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026

People whose information may have been compromised are encouraged to change their passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and contact each credit bureau to freeze their credit. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026

The initial order came as a penalty after the FTC found that a coding error had caused then-Twitter to improperly share users’ contact information for ad targeting that had initially been submitted for two-factor authentication. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026

Some banks that use two-factor authentication, a text code or QR code scan at login, may not connect automatically. — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1990, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for two-factor authentication

• deindustrialization
• immunoprecipitation
• individualisation
• individualization
• institutionalisation
• institutionalization
• internationalization
• neovascularization
• operationalization
• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration