reauthorization
UK[ˌriːˌɔːθəraɪˈzeɪʃən]US[ˌriːˌɔːθərəˈzeɪʃən]
n
the act of giving official or legal authority for something to continue or happen again for a further period of time.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
authoriz
ation
re
again
authoriz
e) (to give authority
ation
action or process
Etymology
The word 'reauthorization' is a modern English compound built from classical components. Its core, 'authorize,' derives from the Latin 'auctor,' meaning "originator" or "promoter," which itself traces back to the PIE root aug- (to increase). The prefix 're-,' also from Latin, conveys the sense of repetition. The suffix '-ation,' from Latin '-atio,' nominalizes the verb, turning the action into a process. Thus, the literal construction "the process of giving authority again" perfectly captures its contemporary use, primarily in legislative contexts where a law or program is formally approved for continuation.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + authoriz(e) (to give authority) + ation (action or process)
- re: a prefix of Latin origin meaning "again" or "back."
- authoriz(e): a verb-forming element from the noun 'authority,' ultimately from Latin 'auctor' (originator, promoter).
- ation: a noun-forming suffix of Latin origin ('-atio') indicating an action or process.
Examples
congress is debating the reauthorization of the federal education act.
the agency's funding depends on its successful reauthorization by the committee.
the bill includes a five-year reauthorization of the transportation program.