authentic

[aw-then-tik] /ɔˈθɛn tɪk/
adjective
1.
not false or copied; genuine; real:
an authentic antique.
2.
having the origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified:
an authentic document of the Middle Ages; an authentic work of the old master.
3.
entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience; reliable; trustworthy:
an authentic report on poverty in Africa.
4.
Law. executed with all due formalities:
an authentic deed.
5.
Music.
  1. (of a church mode) having a range extending from the final to the octave above.
    Compare plagal.
  2. (of a cadence) consisting of a dominant harmony followed by a tonic.
6.
Obsolete, authoritative.
Origin
1300-50; < Late Latin authenticus < Greek authentikós original, primary, at first hand, equivalent to authént(ēs) one who does things himself (aut- aut- + -hentēs doer) + -ikos -ic; replacing Middle English autentik (< Anglo-French) < Medieval Latin autenticus
Related forms
authentically, adverb
nonauthentic, adjective
quasi-authentic, adjective
quasi-authentically, adverb
unauthentic, adjective
Synonyms
1–3. Authentic, genuine, real, veritable share the sense of actuality and lack of falsehood or misrepresentation. Authentic carries a connotation of authoritative certification that an object is what it is claimed to be: an authentic Rembrandt sketch. Genuine refers to objects or persons having the characteristics or source claimed or implied: a genuine ivory carving. Real, the most general of these terms, refers to innate or actual—as opposed to ostensible—nature or character: In real life, plans often miscarry. A real diamond will cut glass. Veritable, derived from the Latin word for truth, suggests the general truthfulness but not necessarily the literal or strict correspondence with reality of that which it describes; it is often used metaphorically: a veritable wizard of finance.
Examples from the web for authentic
  • All the real things, the authentic things, the honest things are dying off.
  • It was, at one and the same time, a genuine revolution and an authentic counterrevolution.
  • His supporters insist he is brave, authentic and in tune with plain-talking local attitudes.
  • The kitchen of this unprepossessing restaurant turns out stylish versions of authentic bistro-grill dishes.
  • There are larger collections of odds-and-ends sound in Hollywood, ready to supply authentic backgrounds for period films.
  • Now you have to try to be more authentic — even if it's just authentically acknowledging that what you're doing is advertising.
  • Ballpark facades look and feel eerily authentic.
  • Much work went into making these creations appear authentic.
  • International news is hardly avaialable from authentic and reputed sources in regional langauges.
  • The narrative possesses a droll and authentic quality in its immensity.
British Dictionary definitions for authentic

authentic

/ɔːˈθɛntɪk/
adjective
1.
of undisputed origin or authorship; genuine: an authentic signature
2.
accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy; reliable: an authentic account
3.
(of a deed or other document) duly executed, any necessary legal formalities having been complied with
4.
(music)
  1. using period instruments and historically researched scores and playing techniques in an attempt to perform a piece as it would have been played at the time it was written
  2. (in combination): an authentic-instrument performance
5.
(music)
  1. (of a mode as used in Gregorian chant) commencing on the final and ending an octave higher
  2. (of a cadence) progressing from a dominant to a tonic chord
Compare plagal
Derived Forms
authentically, adverb
authenticity (ˌɔːθɛnˈtɪsɪtɪ) noun
Word Origin
C14: from Late Latin authenticus coming from the author, from Greek authentikos, from authentēs one who acts independently, from auto- + hentēs a doer
Word Origin and History for authentic
adj.

mid-14c., "authoritative," from Old French autentique (13c., Modern French authentique) "authentic; canonical," and directly from Medieval Latin authenticus, from Greek authentikos "original, genuine, principal," from authentes "one acting on one's own authority," from autos "self" (see auto-) + hentes "doer, being," from PIE *sene- "to accomplish, achieve." Sense of "entitled to acceptance as factual" is first recorded mid-14c.

Traditionally (at least since the 18c.), authentic implies that the contents of the thing in question correspond to the facts and are not fictitious; genuine implies that the reputed author is the real one; though this distinction is not etymological and is not always now recognized.