authoritative
adjUK /ɔːˈθɒɹɪtətɪv/ · US /əˈθɔɹɪˌteɪtɪv/
Etymology From authorit(y) + -ative.
1
Arising or originating from a figure of authority.
- The authoritative rules in this school come not from the headmaster but from the aged matron.
2
Highly accurate or definitive; treated or worthy of treatment as a scholarly authority.
- This book is the world's most authoritative guide to insect breeding habits.
3
Having a commanding style.
- He instructed us in that booming, authoritative voice of his.
- The fourth model is called the enlightment model: Actors are seen to be responsible for problems but unable or unwilling to provide solutions. They are believed to need discipline provided by authoritative guidance. The Alcoholic Anonymous^([sic]) groups are considered prototypical for this model.2013 June 29, Leo Montada, “Coping with Life Stress”, in Herman Steensma, Riël Vermunt, editors, Social Justice in Human Relations Volume 2: Societal and Psychological Consequences of Justice and Injustice, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 26:
1 more example
- Woke is here to undermine Star Trek and Starfleet, so, in this conflict, Holly Hunter’s character manifests feminine traits instead of authoritative ones: she’s emotional, uncertain and vulnerable.2026 January 29, “Woke rhetoric & design in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Paramount / CBS, 2026)”, in An Actor Explains, via Substack, archived from the original on 02 Feb 2026:
- Derived terms
- authoritatively, authoritativeness, inauthoritative, nonauthoritative, unauthoritative