Authoritative vs. Authoritive
“Authoritative” is the standard adjective for something reliable, commanding, or officially accepted. “Authoritive” appears as a nonstandard or misspelled form in lexicographic references and should not replace “authoritative” in edited prose.
Use “authoritative” in standard edited English; do not substitute “authoritive” when you mean reliable, commanding, or officially accepted.
Key details
Further guidance
Core difference
“Authoritative” is the established standard adjective; “authoritive” is not the standard edited-English spelling for that adjective.
Usage Boundary
In formal or edited writing, choose “authoritative”. A found instance of “authoritive” should not be treated as an interchangeable house-style variant.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- authoritative — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Standard spelling and meaning of authoritative
- authoritive — Wiktionary (opens in a new tab)Wiktionary · Secondary attestation of authoritive as a nonstandard/misspelled form relative to authoritative