authorization

Etymology

authorize + -ation

noun

1. (uncountable) Permission.
   I've got authorization. Call the office and you'll see.
2. (countable) An act of authorizing.
   Our proposal thus envisages a new procedure for the authorization of experimental program 1966, Education at Berkeley, page 116
   His authorization of decapitation targeting is incompatible with his theory of limited war 1985 May, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, volume 41, number 5, page 46
   Its purpose is to govern the authorization of credit institutions and the provision of financial services throughout the EC. 1990, Horst Ungerer, The European monetary system: developments and perspectives, page 36
3. (countable) (A document giving) formal sanction, permission or warrant.
   Can I see your authorization?
4. (government) Permission, possibly limited, to spend funds for a specific budgetary purpose.
   We've had the authorization for years, but we've never gotten an appropriation.