What does authorize mean?
Authorize means to give official or legal permission for an action, or to formally empower someone to act on another's behalf. It is a formal verb central to legal, financial, governmental, and corporate language: a parliament may authorize spending, a bank may authorize a transaction, and an employer may authorize an employee to sign documents. The word carries connotations of legitimacy and institutional power — authorization cannot come from just anyone, but from a recognized authority. Derived forms include authorization (the act or result), authorized (permitted or officially endorsed), and unauthorized (lacking permission), the latter widely used in phrases like 'unauthorized access'. Spelled authorize in American English and authorise in British English, the word derives from Latin auctoritas via Old French, sharing its root with author and authority — a fitting lineage, since all three concern the power to make things official.
verbTo give official or legal permission for something to be done, or to grant someone the authority to act in a specified way.
- To give official permission for something to happen or be done.
- To empower someone with the authority to perform a particular action.
"The board authorized the release of the funds on Monday."
"Congress must authorize any military action lasting more than sixty days."
"She was authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the company."
Every time you tap 'authorize' at checkout, you're using a word that traces back through Latin 'auctoritas' — the same root that gave us 'author', because an author is someone who makes things official by their own hand.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of authorize
Authorize entered English in the late Middle Ages (around the 15th century) from Old French 'autoriser', which itself derived from Medieval Latin 'autorizare', formed on Latin 'auctoritas' meaning authority or sanction. This Latin root traces further back to 'auctor', meaning originator or creator — the same source as the English word 'author'. Cognates and relatives include authoritative, authentic, and authority, all stemming from that same Latin family concerned with legitimacy and creation.
Related word forms
How authorize is actually used
Authorize is a formal verb common in legal, business, and administrative contexts. It typically implies an official body or person with legitimate power granting permission. In everyday informal speech, simpler verbs like 'let' or 'allow' are often preferred. The spelling 'authorize' dominates in American English while 'authorise' prevails in British English.
Easily confused with authorize
Authorise is simply the British spelling of authorize; both words mean exactly the same thing, with spelling differing by region.