authentico

Forms

authenticō (present infinitive authenticāre, perfect active authenticāvī, supine authenticātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin authenticus (“authentic, genuine”), a verb formed in Medieval Latin.^[2][3] English took its past participle as the source of authenticate.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest dated example in the MLW is an Italian charter of 1185, in which a notary is asked to certify the statements of witnesses and set them down in a public document.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In charters of the 12th and 13th centuries it meant to make a document valid by witnesses' signatures and seals, and to certify that a copy matched its original.^[4] From this came the senses to have an official copy made, to confirm by a public instrument, to approve or ratify, and to put into force; the MLW also records it in the sense to dedicate.^[4] Regional dictionaries of medieval Latin record the same legal sense of confirming by authority in Hungary and Poland.^[5][3]

In British sources it is used of stamping something as genuine or authoritative, as when a teaching is confirmed by a general council.^[6] Stelten glosses it in Church Latin as to authenticate or verify.^[7] Spellings without ⟨h⟩ (autentico, auctentico) are common.^[4][1]

Timeline

• 1185 – An Italian notarial charter uses it of certifying the statements of witnesses.^[4]
• c. 1196–1204 – A bishop of Naumburg certifies copies taken word for word from the originals with his seal.^[4]
• 1202 – A Babenberg charter is authenticated by the signatures of witnesses and seals.^[4]
• 1248 – A Polish charter uses it for giving legal force to an act.^[3]
• 1271–1275 – A Hungarian source speaks of an authenticated copy of a will.^[5]
• 1650s – English forms authenticate from its past participle.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (Medieval Latin) To authenticate, confirm a document as genuine, especially with seals or signatures.^[4][1][7]
2. (Medieval Latin) To certify a copy as agreeing with its original; to make an official copy.^[4]
3. (Medieval Latin, law) To confirm by public instrument; to ratify or put into force.^[4][5][3]
4. (Medieval Latin) To stamp as authoritative.^[6]
5. (Medieval Latin) To dedicate.^[4]

Related words

• English authenticate

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
6. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson