Past tense of authenticate, meaning to prove or verify that something is genuine, real, or valid. Commonly used in security contexts to confirm identity or legitimacy.
From Greek 'authentikos' meaning original, genuine, from 'authentes' (one who acts independently, master). Via Latin 'authenticus,' it entered English in the 17th century, initially used for validating documents.
In our digital age, 'authenticated' has become crucial for online security, but it retains echoes of its ancient meaning of being 'self-authored' or genuine. The word bridges ancient concerns about truth and modern concerns about digital identity theft.
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