authentic-sounding
|au-then-tic-sound-ing|
/əˈθɛntɪk ˈsaʊndɪŋ/
appears genuine
Etymology
'authentic-sounding' originates from Modern English, formed from 'authentic' (from Greek 'authentikos') where 'authent-' meant 'authoritative, genuine', and 'sound' (from Latin 'sonare') where 'son-' meant 'to make a sound'.
'authentikos' in Greek passed into Latin as 'authenticus' and then into Middle/Modern English as 'authentic'; Latin 'sonare' gave Old French 'soner' and Middle English verbs like 'soun/sonen' which evolved into modern English 'sound' and the participial form 'sounding'; the compound 'authentic-sounding' was formed in Modern English by combining these elements.
Individually, 'authentic' originally meant 'authoritative' or 'genuine' and 'sounding' originally related to making or producing sound; together, they evolved into the adjectival compound meaning 'having the appearance or tone of being genuine' (the combined sense developed in modern usage).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having the qualities, tone, or manner that give the impression of being genuine or real; seeming authentic.
The accents in the film were authentic-sounding, which helped the period setting feel real.
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Adjective 2
having a sound or tone that closely resembles the real or original (often used for instruments, voices, or reproduced audio).
The sample library includes an authentic-sounding violin patch that works well in orchestral mock-ups.
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Last updated: 2025/11/07 23:21