What does authenticate mean?
Word: Authenticate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Authenticate means to show that something is real and is exactly what it claims to be.
Synonyms: validate
How do you spell authenticate?
Syllables: au - then - ti - cate
Tricky part: It opens with au, though pupils who write from the sound often drop the u (athenticate) or begin with an o.
Watch out for: athenticate, othenticate
Memory tip: An author's signature is the kind of thing experts are asked to authenticate, and the two words open with the same two letters.
Authenticate in a sentence
Example 1: The bank will authenticate your signature before opening the account.
Example 2: Collectors pay experts to authenticate rare stamps.
Example 3: You must authenticate the form with the school's official seal.
Fun Fact
Typing a password and then a one-time code sent to your phone is called two-factor authentication, because the website checks you in two separate ways.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the three missing letters to complete the word:
auth_nt_c_te
a) e, e, a
b) e, i, e
c) i, e, a
d) e, i, a
Show answer
d) e, i, a. Slow speech brings out the three vowels in turn: e, then i, then a.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word authenticate as used in the sentence:
A museum expert came to authenticate the old painting before the sale.
a) decorate
b) borrow
c) restore
d) verify
Show answer
d) verify. To verify something is to check that it is true or genuine; decorating, restoring and borrowing a painting say nothing about whether it is real.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The website sends a code to nthcttaeieua your account.
a) activate
b) authenticate
c) anticipate
d) automate
Show answer
b) authenticate. There are twelve letters here, with three t's, and none of the other three words can use them.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the one that is misspelt.
1. generate 2. translate 3. calculate 4. authentikate
a) to work out a number or amount
b) to produce energy or new ideas
c) to confirm that a thing is genuine
d) to change words into another language
Show answer
c) to confirm that a thing is genuine. The k sound near the end is a plain c, just as it is in educate.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these would a bank most likely use to authenticate you on its app?
a) a list of its branches
b) a longer home page
c) a fingerprint check
d) a bright new logo
Show answer
c) a fingerprint check
2. An art expert cannot authenticate a sketch. What does that most likely mean?
a) she thinks it is too expensive to buy
b) she has no room for it in the gallery
c) she cannot be sure it is the artist's own work
d) she finds the colours unpleasant to look at
Show answer
c) she cannot be sure it is the artist's own work
