pro-authority
|pro-au-thor-i-ty|
🇺🇸
/proʊ-əˈθɔrəti/
🇬🇧
/prəʊ-ɔːˈθɒrəti/
in favor of authority
Etymology
'pro-authority' is a modern compound formed from the prefix 'pro' (from Latin 'pro' meaning 'for') and 'authority' (from Latin 'auctoritas').
'authority' changed from Latin word 'auctoritas' into Old French 'autorité' and Middle English 'authorite', and in modern English combined with the prefix 'pro' to form the compound 'pro-authority'.
Initially it is literally 'for authority' (i.e., 'in favor of authority'); over time it has come to describe a political or social stance that supports established power or centralized control.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person or group that supports authority or favors strong centralized control.
The protest was met with opposition from local pro-authority groups.
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Adjective 1
supporting or favorable toward authority, established institutions, or centralized power.
The candidate took a pro-authority stance on law enforcement and public order.
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Last updated: 2025/10/01 02:23