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authentic

adjective
au·​then·​tic | \ É™-ˈthen-tik How to pronounce authentic (audio) , ȯ-\

Definition of authentic

1a : worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact paints an authentic picture of our society
b : conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse
c : made or done the same way as an original authentic Mexican fare
2 : not false or imitation : real, actual an authentic cockney accent
3 : true to one's own personality, spirit, or character is sincere and authentic with no pretensions
4a of a church mode : ranging upward from the keynote — compare plagal sense 1
b of a cadence : progressing from the dominant chord to the tonic — compare plagal sense 2
5 obsolete : authoritative
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Other Words from authentic

authentically \ -​ti-​k(É™-​)lÄ“ How to pronounce authentically (audio) \ adverb
authenticity \ ˌȯ-​ËŒthen-​ˈti-​sÉ™-​tÄ“ How to pronounce authenticity (audio) , -​thÉ™n-​ \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for authentic

Synonyms

bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum [Australian & New Zealand], echt, genuine, honest, pukka (also pucka), real, right, sure-enough, true

Antonyms

bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony (also phoney), pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal

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Choose the Right Synonym for authentic

authentic, genuine, bona fide mean being actually and exactly what is claimed. authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact an authentic account of the perilous journey ; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original. an authentic reproduction authentic Vietnamese cuisine genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated genuine piety genuine maple syrup ; it also connotes definite origin from a source. a genuine Mark Twain autograph bona fide implies good faith and sincerity of intention. a bona fide offer for the stock

Examples of authentic in a Sentence

In 1879 expert opinion was unanimous in rejecting Sautuola's timid suggestion that the ceiling paintings in his family's cave were made by the same prehistoric hunters whose stone and bone artifacts he had been collecting from the cave floor. He was accused of forgery and not until 1902, when discovery of similar paintings in several French caves supported Sautuola's claim, did experts agree that they were authentic relics of Paleolithic times. — William H. McNeill, New York Review, 19 Oct. 2006 "If I did authentic Japanese food here, no one would understand," says Masaharu Morimoto, whose idiosyncratic creations dazzle as many as 300 diners a night at his eponymous Philadelphia restaurant. "Anything I do here is going to be an Americanization of Japanese cuisine." The ponytailed Morimoto of Iron Chef fame has been expanding the boundaries of Japanese cuisine his entire career, starting at his own sushi bar in Hiroshima, Japan … — Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2005 But before we could leave, the old guy had to have his pint with the regulars at the Regulator. Part of his routine. All the staff were from Ireland (the real Ireland), and all the walls were paneled with authentic oak. — Michael Kandel, Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November 2004 According to Lia, the document seems authentic, though she emphasizes that it contains no specific attack orders … — Aparisim Ghosh, Time, 22 Mar. 2004 We saw authentic examples of ancient Roman sculpture. Experts have confirmed that the signature on the letter is authentic. The witness provided an authentic record of what actually took place. She prepared a very authentic Mexican meal. The building is an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 While the Philly Cheesesteak sets out to be authentic, the Italian side of the menu is a mix of styles. — Nancy Ngo, Twin Cities, "Pizza and Cheesesteaks name of game at new Tono’s in Maplewood," 27 Aug. 2019 In the latest manifesto, which Prince said appeared to be authentic, the El Paso suspect saluted the perpetrator of the March 2019 massacre of 49 Muslims at a New Zealand mosque. — Jeff Bercovici, Los Angeles Times, "8chan, a site favored by suspected mass shooters, loses its network hosts," 5 Aug. 2019 Most festivals stick in one or two Latin acts and that’s not authentic. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Wonderfront Festival will feature Ben Harper, Migos, MGMT, Miguel, Slightly Stoopid and 80-plus other acts," 3 June 2019 Berry did not disclose that the documents were not authentic Baker Donelson invoices, an omission that experts said could violate the state’s Open Records Act and laws governing the altering of public records. — Stephen Deere, ajc, "Atlanta’s legal bills related to corruption probe top $7.5M, AJC finds," 28 June 2018 Little Cancun in Atascocita prides itself on providing quality and authentic Mexican food to its customers in the Lake Houston area. — Kaila Contreras, Houston Chronicle, "From refresqueria to taco shop: Little Cancun in Atascocita prides itself on authentic Mexican food," 28 July 2019 The protocols would work to help consumers distinguish whether a call is coming from a real caller by placing a message in the caller ID confirming the call is authentic. — Makena Kelly, The Verge, "A new anti-robocalling bill is headed to the House floor," 17 July 2019 The most extensive display of authentic local foods will be found here, from barbecue meat to freshly caught fish, conch and lobster. — Anquanette Gaspard, Essence, "Live It Up: Get On Badder Than Bad at St. Lucia Carnival 2019," 9 July 2019 There’ll be lots of authentic Italian food and fun — think bocce courts and gondola rides. — Phil Marty, chicagotribune.com, "Get a taste of Italy in Milwaukee, watch champion water skiers and more Midwest events," 1 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'authentic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of authentic

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

History and Etymology for authentic

Middle English autentik, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin authenticus, from Greek authentikos, from authentēs perpetrator, master, from aut- + -hentēs (akin to Greek anyein to accomplish, Sanskrit sanoti he gains)

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More Definitions for authentic

authentic

adjective

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