authority
Loading your saved state.
authority
The reputation and influence of a person or institution that cause their instructions and decisions to be respected and followed.
Ein guter Chef führt nicht durch Befehle, sondern durch natürliche Autorität.
A good boss leads not through orders, but through natural authority.
The ending '-tät' marks many feminine nouns in German that come from Latin and describe abstract concepts. Further examples are 'Qualität' (quality), 'Universität' (university), or 'Mentalität' (mentality).
Die Universität ist bekannt für ihre hohe Qualität in der Forschung.
The university is known for its high quality in research.
The abstract meaning (influence) is often uncountable: 'Autorität haben' (to have authority). When a person is meant, the word is countable: 'eine Autorität sein' (to be an authority). If it refers to official bodies, it often appears in the plural: 'die Autoritäten' (the authorities).
Die Lehrerin hat natürliche Autorität im Klassenzimmer.
The teacher has natural authority in the classroom.
When 'Autorität' (authority/expert) describes a person as an expert, it is often followed by the preposition 'auf' with the dative to name the field. The typical formulation is 'eine Autorität auf einem Gebiet sein' (to be an authority in a field).
Sie gilt als führende Autorität auf dem Gebiet der Genetik.
She is considered a leading authority in the field of genetics.
In the meaning 'Behörden' (authorities), the word is very often used in the plural. 'Die Autoritäten' (the authorities) then refers to state or official bodies such as the police or the government.
Die Autoritäten warnten die Bevölkerung vor dem starken Schneefall.
The authorities warned the population about the heavy snowfall.
violence / authority / force
'Gewalt' and 'Autorität' can both have to do with power, especially when the state or institutions are involved. In this context, 'Gewalt' means the official power to enforce decisions. 'Autorität' more often means reputation, influence, or a recognized position, so that other people respect instructions. In the plural, 'die Autoritäten' can also mean official bodies or authorities. The words can be confused because both are connected with orders, rules, and power. 'Gewalt' sounds more like legal or state power. 'Autorität' fits better when respect, trust, or the position of a person or authority is important.
Die Klasse hört der Lehrerin zu, weil sie ihre Autorität respektiert.
The class listens to the teacher because they respect her authority.
Vor dem Termin erklärte die Lehrerin, dass die Polizei staatliche Gewalt ausüben darf.
Before the appointment, the teacher explained that the police are allowed to exercise state authority.