Authenticity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɑθɛnˈtɪsɪti/

Definitions

1. the quality of being genuine, real, or true to original character rather than false, copied, or imitated
2. the state of being authentic encompasses genuineness, veracity, and fidelity to an original source or character, free from deceit or imitation
3. the condition of being true to oneself or an original form includes aspects of honesty, accuracy, and uniqueness without falsification or replication

Etymology: Authenticity is a straightforward formation: the adjective "authentic" with the suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into a noun meaning the quality or state of being that adjective describes. Its suffix has a longer story than the word it sits on. "-ity" passed from Latin "-itas" through Old French "-ite" into Middle English as "-ite," and only later settled into the form English speakers use today, so every noun ending in "-ity" carries a Latin ending that arrived by way of French. The base word "authentic" also came into English through French and Latin, from the Greek "authentikos," meaning genuine or original, which is where the idea of an authoritative source comes from. The word "authenticity" therefore combines a Greek-derived adjective with a Latin suffix that reached English through French, and it means nothing more than the condition of being authentic.

Synonyms: genuineness, validity, veracity

Antonyms: falseness, counterfeit