certify vs authenticate

certify and authenticate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
certify	No	No	Yes	No
authenticate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, authenticate is a hyponym of certify; that is, authenticate is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than certify:

certify: provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes
authenticate: establish the authenticity of something

Other hyponyms of certify include reflect, reflect, notarise, notarize, condemn.

certify (verb)	authenticate (verb)
provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes	establish the authenticity of something
declare legally insane
guarantee payment on; of checks
guarantee as meeting a certain standard
authorize officially