LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

auctōritās

auctōritās f (genitive auctōritātis)
Classical[au̯kˈtoː.rɪ.taːs]Ecclesiastical[au̯kˈtɔː.ri.tas]
№ 898 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. credibility, prestige, reputation, importance
  2. influence, weight, personal weight
  3. power, ability, authority
  4. advice, counsel (when offered by someone with credibility and strong influence)
  5. support, backing
  6. warrant, authenticity (something that provides assurance or confirmation)
  7. sanction, political sanction, warrant
  8. power conferred, will, decree, order, rights, command (often refers to the will or decree of the senate)
  9. responsibility, opinion, judgment
  10. legal title
  11. influential person

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

pondus cōnsiliī hominis magnī; senātus magnam auctōritātem habet.
auctōritās -ātis f — in Mille Verba, Urbs et Aedificia

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeauctōritās
authōritās
auctōritātēs
authōritātēs
genitiveauctōritātis
authōritātis
auctōritātum
authōritātum
dativeauctōritātī
authōritātī
auctōritātibus
authōritātibus
accusativeauctōritātem
authōritātem
auctōritātēs
authōritātēs
ablativeauctōritāte
authōritāte
auctōritātibus
authōritātibus
vocativeauctōritās
authōritās
auctōritātēs
authōritātēs

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

senatus auctoritas
the opinion of the senate in general.
magna auctoritate esse
to possess great authority; to be an influential person.
auctoritatem alicuius sequi
to be guided by another's example.
auctoritate valere or florere
to possess great authority; to be an influential person.
magna auctoritas est in aliquo
to possess great authority; to be an influential person.
ad summam auctoritatem pervenire
to attain to the highest eminence.
auctoritas et exemplum (Balb. 13. 31)
standard and pattern.
auctoritati, dignitati alicuius illudere
to insult a person's dignity.
6 more phrases
magna auctoritas alicuius est apud aliquem
to have great influence with a person; to have considerable weight.
opibus, gratia, auctoritate valere, florere
to have great influence.
multum auctoritate valere, posse apud aliquem
to have great influence with a person; to have considerable weight.
alicuius auctoritas multum valet apud aliquem
to have great influence with a person; to have considerable weight.
auctoritatem or dignitatem sibi conciliare, parare
to gain dignity; to make oneself a person of consequence.
auctoritatem alicuius amplificare (opp. imminuere, minuere)
to increase a person's dignity.

auctōrĭtas (not autōr- nor authōr-), ātis, f. auctor, acc. to the different signiff. of that word,
I. In gen., a producing, production, invention, cause (very rare; syn.: auctoramentum, sententia, judicium, consilium, vis, pondus, favor, gratia): quod si exquiratur usque ab stirpe auctoritas (sc. rumoris), originator, inventor, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 180: ejus facti qui sint principes et inventores, qui denique auctoritatis ejus et inventionis comprobatores, Cic. Inv. 1, 28, 43: utrum poëtae Stoicos depravārint, an Stoici poëtis dederint auctoritatem, non facile dixerim, id. N. D. 3, 38, 91.—
II. Esp.,
A. A view, opinion, judgment: errat vehementer, si quis in orationibus nostris auctoritates nostras consignatas se habere arbitratur, Cic. Clu. 50, 139: reliquum est, ut de Q. Catuli auctoritate et sententiā dicendum esse videatur, id. Imp. Pomp. 20; 22: Mihi quidem ex animo eximi non potest, esse deos, id tamen ipsum, quod mihi persuasum est auctoritate majorum, cur ita sit, nihil tu me doces, id. N. D. 3, 3, 7: plus apud me antiquorum auctoritas valet, id. Lael. 4, 13.—
B. Counsel, advice, persuasion, encouragement to something (esp. if made with energy and sustained by the authority and influence of the counsellor; cf. auctor, I. C.): auctoritatem defugere, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 19: Jubeo, cogo atque impero. Numquam defugiam auctoritatem, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 99 Ruhnk.: attende jam, Torquate, quam ego defugiam auctoritatem consulatūs mei, how little pleased (ironically) I am that the occurrences of my consulship are ascribed to my exertions, my influence, Cic. Sull. 11, 33: cujus (Reguli) cum valuisset auctoritas, captivi retenti sunt, id. Off. 3, 27, 100: jure, legibus, auctoritate omnium, qui consulebantur, testamentum fecerat, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 42: ejus (Sexti) mihi vivit auctoritas, id. Att. 10, 1, 1: his rebus adducti et auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 3: ut per auctoritatem earum civitatium suae preces nuper repudiatae faciliorem aditum ad senatum haberent, i. e. agentibus, intervenientibus, Liv. 38, 3 al.—Also consolatory exhortation, consolation, comfort: his autem litteris animum tuum...amicissimi hominis auctoritate confirmandum etiam atque etiam puto, Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 2.—
C. Will, pleasure, decision, bidding, command, precept, decree: si ad verba rem deflectere velimus, consilium autem eorum, qui scripserunt, et rationem et auctoritatem relinquamus? Cic. Caecin. 18, 51: verba servire hominum consiliis et auctoritatibus, id. ib. 18, 52: legio auctoritatem Caesaris persecuta est, id. Phil. 3, 3: nisi legiones ad Caesaris auctoritatem se contulissent, under his command, guidance, id. Fam. 10, 28 fin.—Hence,
2. Esp., in political lang., t. t.
a. Senatūs auctoritas,
(a). The will of the senate: agrum Picenum contra senatūs auctoritatem dividere, Cic. Sen. 4, 11.—More freq.,
(b). A decree of the senate, = Senatūs consultum: Senatūs vetus auctoritas de Bacchanalibus, Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 37: sine senatūs auctoritate foedus facere, id. Off. 3, 30, 109: Senatūs auctoritas gravissima intercessit, id. Fam. 1, 2 fin.: responditque ita ex auctoritate senatūs consul, Liv. 7, 31: imperio non populi jussu, non ex auctoritate patrum dato, id. 26, 2: Neminem exulum nisi ex Senatūs auctoritate restituit, Suet. Claud. 12: citra senatūs populique auctoritatem, id. Caes. 28 al. —Hence the superscription to the decrees of the Senate: SENATVS. CONSVLTI. AVCTORITAS., abbrev., S. C. A., Cic. Fam. 8, 8.—Sometimes between senatūs auctoritas and senatūs consultum this distinction is to be made, that the former designates a decision of the senate, invalidated by the protestation of the tribune of the people or by the people themselves; the latter, one that is passed without opposition, Cic. Fam. 8, 8; Liv. 4, 57.—
b. Auctoritas populi, the popular will or decision: isti principes et sibi et ceteris populi universi auctoritati parendum esse fateantur, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22; so, publica, Vell. 2, 62, 3; Dig. 1, 2, 2, § 4.—
c. Auctoritas collegii (pontificum), Liv. 34, 44; cf. Cic. Leg. 2, 19 and 21.—
D. Liberty, ability, power, authority to do according to one's pleasure: qui habet imperium a populo Romano auctoritatem legum dandarum ab senatu, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 49: Verres tantum sibi auctoritatis in re publicā suscepit, ut, etc., id. ib. 2, 5, 58: Invita in hoc loco versatur oratio; videtur enim auctoritatem adferre peccandi, id. N. D. 3, 35, 85: Senatūs faciem secum attulerat auctoritatemque populi Romani, id. Phil. 8, 8.—
E. Might, power, authority, reputation, dignity, influence, weight (very freq.): ut vostra auctoritas Meae auctoritati fautrix adjutrixque sit, Ter. Hec. prol. alt. 40: aequitate causae et auctoritate suā aliquem commovere, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 48: id maximā auctoritate philosophi adfirmant, id. Off. 3, 29, 105: Digna est memoriā Q. Catuli cum auctoritas tum verecundia, Vell. 2, 32: optimatium auctoritatem deminuere, Suet. Caes. 11; so, auctoritatem habere, Cic. Phil. 11, 10 fin.; id. Sen. 17, 60: adripere, id. ib. 18, 62; id. N. D. 3, 35, 85: facere, to procure, obtain, id. Imp. Pomp. 15: Grandis auctoritatis es et bene regis regnum Israël, * Vulg. 3 Reg. 21, 7: imminuere, Cic. de Or. 2, 37 fin.: levare, id. Ac. 2, 22, 69: fructus capere auctoritatis, id. Sen. 18, 62: Quae sunt voluptates corporis cum auctoritatis praemiis comparandae? id. ib. 18, 64 et saep. —Transf. to things, importance, significance, weight, power, worth, value, estimation: bos in pecuariā maximā debet esse auctoritate, Varr. R. R. 2, 5: sunt certa legum verba... quo plus auctoritatis habeant, paulo antiquiora, more weight, force, Cic. Leg. 2, 7, 18: totius hujusce rei quae sit vis, quae auctoritas, quod pondus, ignorant, id. Fl. 4: utilitatis species falsa ab honestatis auctoritate superata est, id. Off. 3, 30, 109: cum antea per aetatem nondum hujus auctoritatem loci attingere auderem, of this honorable place, i. e. the rostra, id. Imp. Pomp 1: bibliothecas omnium philosophorum mihi videtur XII. tabularum libellus auctoritatis pondere superare, id. de Or. 1, 44, 195; id. Fam. 1, 7; Dolab. ap. Cic. ib. 9, 9 fin.: auctoritas praecipua lupo (pisci), Plin. 9, 17, 28, § 61: Post eum (Maecenatum) interiit auctoritas sapori (pullorum asinorum), id. 8, 43, 68, § 170 Jan: unguentorum, id. 13, 1, 2, § 4: auctoritas dignitasque formae, Suet. Claud. 30.—Also of feigned, assumed authority: nec cognovi quemquam, qui majore auctoritate nihil diceret, that said nothing with a greater air of authority, Cic. Div. 2, 67, 139.—
F. An example, pattern, model: omnium superiorum auctoritatem repudiare, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 19: memoriā digna juventuti rei publicae capessendae auctoritas disciplinaque, id. Sest. 6, 14: valuit auctoritas, id. Tusc. 2, 22, 53; so Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 93; 2, 5, 32: tu is es qui in disputando non tuum judicium sequare, sed auctoritati aliorum pareas, id. Leg. 1, 13, 36; id. Rosc. Am. 6, 16 al.—
G. A warrant, security for establishing a fact, assertion, etc., credibility: cum ea (justitia) sine prudentiā satis habeat auctoritatis, Cic. Off. 2, 9, 34: desinant putare, auctoritatem esse in eo testimonio, cujus auctor inventus est nemo, id. Fl. 22, 53: Quid vero habet auctoritatis furor iste, quem divinum vocatis? id. Div. 2, 54, 110: tollitur omnis auctoritas somniorum, id. ib. 2, 59, 123: cum ad vanitatem accessit auctoritas, id. Lael. 25, 94.—
2. Meton., the things which serve for the verification or establishment of a fact.
a. A record, document: videt legationes, cum publicis auctoritatibus convenisse, Cic. Verr. 1, 3, 7: nihil putas valere in judiciis civitatum auctoritates ac litteras, id. ib. 2, 3, 62, § 146.—
b. The name of a person who is security for something, authority: cum auctoritates principum conjurationis colligeret, Cic. Sull. 13, 37: sed tu auctoritates contemnis, ratione pugnas, id. N. D. 3, 4, 9.—Hence for the names of persons present at the drawing up of a decree of the senate: quod in auctoritatibus praescriptis exstat, Cic. de Or. 3, 2, 5: Senatūs consultum, quod tibi misi, factum est auctoritatesque perscriptae, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8.—
H. Right of possession (cf. auctor, II. F. 1.): lex usum et auctoritatem fundi jubet esse biennium, Cic. Caecin. 19, 54: usūs auctoritas fundi biennium est, id. Top. 4, 23; so id. Caecin. 26, 74; id. Har. Resp. 7; Lex Atin. ap. Gell. 17, 6; cf. Hugo, Rechtsgesch. p. 217 sq.—So in the laws of the XII. Tables: ADVERSVS. HOSTEM. AETERNA. AVCTORITAS., against a stranger the right of possession is perpetual (i. e. a stranger cannot, by prescription, obtain the right of possession to the property of a Roman), ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 37.—
J. In jurid. lang., a guaranty, security, Paul. Sent. 2, 17.

Origins

From auctor (“seller, vendor; author, creator; advocate, sponsor, supporter”) + -tās.

Descendants
  • Catalanautoritat
  • Italianautorità
  • Frenchautoritéfrom Old French autorité
  • Romanianautoritatefrom Old French autorité
  • Englishauthorityfrom Old French autorité
  • Portugueseautoridade
  • Spanishautoridad
  • GermanAutorität
  • Galicianautoridade
  • Indonesianotoritetfrom Old French autorité

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

Quick answers

What does auctōritās mean in Latin?
auctōritās, a noun, means “credibility, prestige, reputation, importance; influence, weight, personal weight; power, ability, authority”.
What is the genitive of auctōritās?
The genitive singular is auctōritātis. auctōritās is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce auctōritās?
In classical Latin, [au̯kˈtoː.rɪ.taːs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [au̯kˈtɔː.ri.tas].