Authentic | Definition of authentic by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of AUTHENTIC

1

obsolete : authoritative

2

a : worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact <paints an authentic picture of our society>

b : conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features <an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse>

c : made or done the same way as an original <authentic Mexican fare>

3

: not false or imitation : real, actual <an authentic cockney accent>

4

a of a church mode : ranging upward from the keynote — compare plagal 1

b of a cadence : progressing from the dominant chord to the tonic — compare plagal 2

5

: true to one's own personality, spirit, or character

— au·then·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— au·then·tic·i·ty \ˌȯ-ˌthen-ˈti-sə-tē, -thən-\ noun

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Examples of AUTHENTIC

In 1879 expert opinion was unanimous in rejecting Sautuola's timid suggestion that the ceiling paintings in his family's cave were made by the same prehistoric hunters whose stone and bone artifacts he had been collecting from the cave floor. He was accused of forgery and not until 1902, when discovery of similar paintings in several French caves supported Sautuola's claim, did experts agree that they were authentic relics of Paleolithic times. —William H. McNeill, New York Review, 19 Oct. 2006
“If I did authentic Japanese food here, no one would understand,” says Masaharu Morimoto, whose idiosyncratic creations dazzle as many as 300 diners a night at his eponymous Philadelphia restaurant. “Anything I do here is going to be an Americanization of Japanese cuisine.” The ponytailed Morimoto of Iron Chef fame has been expanding the boundaries of Japanese cuisine his entire career, starting at his own sushi bar in Hiroshima, Japan … —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2005
But before we could leave, the old guy had to have his pint with the regulars at the Regulator. Part of his routine. All the staff were from Ireland (the real Ireland), and all the walls were paneled with authentic oak. —Michael Kandel, Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November 2004
According to Lia, the document seems authentic, though she emphasizes that it contains no specific attack orders … —Aparisim Ghosh, Time, 22 Mar. 2004
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Origin of AUTHENTIC

Middle English autentik, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin authenticus, from Greek authentikos, from authentēs perpetrator, master, from aut- + -hentēs (akin to Greek anyein to accomplish, Sanskrit sanoti he gains)

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to AUTHENTIC

Synonyms: bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum [Australian & New Zealand], echt, genuine, honest, pukka (also pucka), real, right, sure-enough, true, for real

Antonyms: bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony (also phoney), pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal

Synonym Discussion of AUTHENTIC

authentic, genuine, bona fide mean being actually and exactly what is claimed. authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact <an authentic account of the perilous journey>; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original <an authentic reproduction> <authentic Vietnamese cuisine>. genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated <genuine piety> <genuine maple syrup>; it also connotes definite origin from a source <a genuine Mark Twain autograph>. bona fide implies good faith and sincerity of intention <a bona fide offer for the stock>.