The phrase "authoritative meaning" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a definition or interpretation that is widely accepted as accurate or official.
Example: "The dictionary provides an authoritative meaning of the term, ensuring clarity in its usage."
Alternatives: "definitive meaning" or "official interpretation".
And in "The Brothers Karamazov" as a whole, it is impossible to say what final, authoritative meaning the novel leaves with us.
Justice Scalia said Mr. Ashcroft's action was "the most reasonable interpretation" of the statute because "virtually every relevant source of authoritative meaning confirms that the phrase 'legitimate medical purpose' does not include intentionally assisting suicide".
For the purpose of precision the most authoritative meaning of a word is the legal one.
While The Global Times is controlled by the Communist Party, it is not an authoritative voice, meaning its pugnacious opinion pieces don't necessarily reflect the views of the Chinese government in the way a commentary in The People's Daily would.
But, he added, Naji's work has appeared on Sawt al-Jihad, the authoritative Al Qaeda Internet magazine, meaning that it reflects the prevailing views of the organization.
They do not, however, provide authoritative evidence of constitutional meaning.
He closes with splendid chapters on the erosion under siege since the reforms of the Second Vatican Council of the moral theology of natural law, due to its problems in dealing adequately with issues of historical change, subjectivity and dissent from authoritative formulations of its meaning.
The Court of Justice, through the preliminary reference process, is able to give authoritative rulings on the meaning and effect of the Treaty and other instruments of Community law, as long as a national court recognizes such a ruling is essential to the resolution of a domestic dispute.
What the Court neglects to explain is that what it means by "the practice of utilizing legislative history" is not the practice of utilizing legislative history for the purpose of giving authoritative content to the meaning of a statutory text — which is the only practice I object to.
The assumption here is that the European citizen is some sort of backward child, and we are the well-meaning but authoritative parents: we know all and we control all.
"A clear, authoritative judicial holding on the meaning of a particular provision should not be cast in doubt and subjected to challenge whenever a related though not utterly inconsistent provision is adopted in the same statute or even in an affiliated statute," the two authors wrote.
