What does validation mean?
Validation is the process or act of establishing that something is valid, reliable, legitimate, or acceptable. In technical settings, it commonly refers to checking information against rules, formats, or required criteria. In professional and administrative contexts, it can mean official confirmation that a document, decision, product, or application has been approved. The word also has a more personal sense: recognition that a person’s feelings, efforts, or identity are understood and respected. This distinction explains why someone might speak of receiving validation from a mentor as well as validation of a scientific result. Across these uses, validation suggests more than a casual impression; it conveys evidence, authority, or a deliberate process of confirmation. The related adjective and verb are validate and valid, while validity describes the quality or condition of being justified, sound, or legally acceptable.
nounThe process or act of establishing that something is valid, reliable, legitimate, or acceptable. It can also refer to official confirmation that something has been approved or recognized.
- The process of checking or establishing that something is valid, reliable, or acceptable.
- The act of officially confirming or recognizing something as valid or approved.
- A formal confirmation or attestation that something has satisfied specified requirements.
"The report received validation from independent experts before it was published."
"The software provides immediate feedback when a required field fails validation."
"Participants reported that the interviewer’s support felt like an important form of validation."
The plural is used when referring to separate acts, processes, results, or documents of validation.
"The laboratory requires two independent validations before releasing the product."
Validation shares its root with valid and, farther back, with the Latin valere, meaning “to be strong” or “to be worth.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does validation come from?
Validation was formed in English from validate, using the suffix -ation to form a noun denoting an action or process. Both words ultimately connect with Latin validus, meaning “valid” or “sound,” and with valere, meaning “to be strong” or “to be worth.” Related words include validity, validator, valiant, and the regional forms valor and valour.
How validation is actually used
The word is neutral to formal and is especially common in administrative, academic, technical, and professional contexts. It can imply either a systematic check or an official endorsement, not merely a personal opinion.
Easily confused with validation
Verification emphasizes confirming that something is true or accurate, whereas validation often emphasizes establishing that it meets required criteria or is officially valid.
Certification is usually a formal credential or declaration issued by an authority, while validation can refer more broadly to any process or act of confirming validity.