power of attorney

/ˌpaʊə(r)əv əˈtɜː(r)niː/

noun

The legal authorization of one person to act as the agent of another.

“He confirmed that he had power of attorney.”

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Meanings

nounpower of attorney (countable and uncountable, plural powers of attorney)

plural powers of attorney

  1. uncountablelawThe legal authorization of one person to act as the agent of another.

    He confirmed that he had power of attorney.

  2. countablelawA legal document allowing one person to act as the agent of another.

    Here you can apply for a power of attorney.

Origin

From attorney (“any personal representative”). Attorney now rarely has that sense outside of fixed expressions like this one.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 代理權 /代理权, 委託書 /委托书
  • 代理權 /代理权 (dàilǐquán)authorisation
  • 委託書 /委托书 (wěituōshū)document
  • 授權書 /授权书 (shòuquánshū)document
Czech plná moc, plná moc
  • plná mocauthorisation
  • plná mocdocument
Dutch volmacht, volmachtbrief
  • volmachtauthorisation
  • volmachtbriefdocument
Finnish valtuutus, valtakirja
  • valtuutusauthorisation
  • valtakirjadocument
French procuration, procuration
  • procurationauthorisation
  • procurationdocument
German Vollmacht, Vollmachtsurkunde
  • Vollmachtauthorisation
  • Vollmachtsurkundedocument
Greek πληρεξούσιο, έγγραφο πληρεξουσιότητας
  • πληρεξούσιο (plirexoúsio)authorisation
  • έγγραφο πληρεξουσιότητας (éngrafo plirexousiótitas)document
Hindi वकालतनामा
  • वकालतनामा (vakālatnāmā)document
Hungarian (ügyvédi/jogi) meghatalmazás/megbízás, (ügyvédi/jogi) meghatalmazás/megbízás/megbízólevél
  • (ügyvédi/jogi) meghatalmazás/megbízásauthorisation
  • (ügyvédi/jogi) meghatalmazás/megbízás/megbízólevéldocument
Indonesian surat kuasa
  • surat kuasadocument
Italian procura, atto di procura
  • procuraauthorisation
  • atto di procuradocument
Japanese 委任状
  • 委任状 (ininjō)document
Korean 대리권, 위임장
  • 대리권 (daerigwon)authorisation
  • 위임장 (wiimjang)document
Persian وکالت, وکالت
  • وکالت (vekâlat)authorisation
  • وکالت (vekâlat)document
Polish pełnomocnictwo, upoważnienie
  • pełnomocnictwoauthorisation
  • upoważnienieauthorisation
  • pełnomocnictwodocument
Portuguese procuração, procuração
  • procuraçãoauthorisation
  • procuraçãodocument
Russian дове́ренность
  • дове́ренность (dovérennostʹ)document
Spanish poder
  • poderauthorisation
Swedish fullmakt, fullmakt
  • fullmaktauthorisation
  • fullmaktdocument
Tamil வக்காலத்து
  • வக்காலத்து (vakkālattu)authorisation
Welsh atwrneiaeth, pŵer atwrnai
  • atwrneiaethauthorisation
  • pŵer atwrnaidocument
Cite this entry
APA

power of attorney. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/power%20of%20attorney

MLA

“power of attorney.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/power%20of%20attorney. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “power of attorney,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/power%20of%20attorney.

Source: power of attorney on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.