Allowlist

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A compilation that includes individuals or applications authorized to gain entry or privileges in a certain context
2. An organized catalog of permitted entities that can function or engage within a defined setting
3. A collection of people, devices, or software granted permission to access or operate within a system

Etymology: "Allowlist" is a modern coinage, a deliberate replacement for "whitelist" in computing and security contexts. It is formed from "allow" and "list", and its meaning is essentially the same as its predecessor: a catalog of entities that are permitted to pass, connect, or act within a given system. The older term "whitelist" is built from "white" and "list", where "white" carries the sense of approved or clean, in contrast to "black" for banned. A whitelist names what is admitted, and a blacklist names what is refused. "Allowlist" keeps the same logic but drops the color association, so the contrast is now carried by the verb "allow" rather than by a shade.

Synonyms: whitelist, approved list, permitted list

Antonyms: blocklist, blacklist, denylist