Word
authentic
Meanings
Genuine; not fake, counterfeit, or copied.
True to one’s real character or feelings; sincere rather than performed.
Accurately representing the original style, culture, or tradition.
Definition
Authentic means genuine and real, not fake or copied.
If something is authentic, it is truly what it claims to be, rather than an imitation. People also use authentic to describe behavior or expression that feels honest, natural, and true to a person’s identity. In both cases, the idea is that it is original, credible, and not put on for show.
Examples
- The curator confirmed the painting was authentic after analyzing the pigments and brushwork.
- I chose the small family-run place because its food felt authentic, not adapted for tourists.
- She sounded authentic in the interview, even when she admitted what she still didn’t know.
- They wanted an authentic account of what happened, so they compared several eyewitness statements.
- You can build trust faster if your feedback is authentic and specific rather than overly polished.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse authentic with typical, but authentic means genuine or real, not merely common.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.