What does authority mean?
Authority refers to the recognized power or right to make decisions, issue commands, and expect compliance, whether held by an individual, institution, or governing body. It can describe formal legal power — as when a court has the authority to rule on a case — or informal influence grounded in expertise, as when someone speaks on a subject with real authority. The word also denotes the people or organizations themselves: 'the authorities' commonly means government agencies, officials, or the police. Derived from Latin 'auctoritas', which carried senses of credibility and legitimacy in Roman law, the term has long connected knowledge with legitimate power. Its connotations are flexible: authority may evoke trustworthiness and competence, or control and hierarchy, depending on context. Related forms include 'authoritative', describing confident or definitive statements, and 'authorize', meaning to grant official permission. It remains central to discussions of law, governance, expertise, and social structure.
nounThe power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience; also, a person or organization with expert knowledge or official power in a particular area.
- The power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, or make decisions.
- A person or body whose opinion is accepted as expert or reliable.
- An official organization or government agency responsible for a specific area (e.g., local health authority).
- The confidence or conviction with which something is said or done.
"The committee has the authority to approve new regulations without further review."
"Only the board of directors has the authority to sign off on acquisitions of this size."
"She spoke with such authority on climate policy that even her critics took notes."
Commonly used to refer collectively to government bodies, officials, or law enforcement rather than simply as the plural of individual holders of power.
"The authorities were notified within minutes of the incident."
The word 'authority' comes from Latin 'auctoritas' — the same root that gives us 'author' — because in Rome, to have authority was literally to be the originator of something.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of authority
Authority derives from the Latin noun 'auctoritas', meaning influence, prestige, or legitimate sanction, itself rooted in 'auctor' — originator or promoter — from the verb 'augēre', to increase or originate. It entered English through Old French 'autorité' during the Middle Ages, initially carrying religious and scholarly connotations of accepted sources of truth. Over time its sense broadened to include institutional and political power, while cognates such as 'author' and 'authentic' reflect shared Latin origins.
Related word forms
How authority is actually used
Generally neutral in register but common in formal, legal, and political contexts. In plural form ('the authorities'), it typically refers to government officials or police. Connotation depends on context: 'authority' can signal legitimacy and expertise, or imply coercion depending on framing.
Easily confused with authority
'Authority' is the noun meaning legitimate power or an expert source, while 'authoritarian' is an adjective describing rigid enforcement of obedience without regard for freedom.