autoridad
authority
noun ow-toh-ree-DAHD Common
Origin: From Latin auctoritas, from auctor (originator, author).
Also means
official, power
Usage Note
Autoridad can mean abstract authority (hablar con autoridad, to speak with authority) or a concrete official body (las autoridades, the authorities). The plural las autoridades often refers to law enforcement or government officials. It is a false friend with English 'authorship' — the Spanish for that is autoría.
Examples
"Las autoridades investigan el accidente."
Natural Translation
The authorities are investigating the accident.
Related Words
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