# Glossary

```{glossary}
:sorted:

Authentication
    Checking the validity of a claim (e.g. an identity claim). Making sure that a claim is "authentic."

Certification
    "Third party Signature" on a certificate, making a statement about that certificate, or an identity in the certificate

CA
    [Certificate authority](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_authority) or certification authority. An entity that handles digital certificates, especially by signing or issuing them.

Delegation
    See {term}`Trust signature`

Certificate
    See {term}`OpenPGP Certificate`

Key
    See {term}`OpenPGP Key`

OpenPGP Key
    Used either for an OpenPGP Certificate (containing public key material and metadata), or for an See {term}`OpenPGP Private Key`

OpenPGP Private Key
    The combination of an {term}`OpenPGP Certificate` and the associated private key material

OpenPGP Certificate
    An OpenPGP certificate contains public key material, identity claims and third party certifications (but no private key material)

Revocation certificate
    A type of signature that invalidates a previous statement made via a signature

Trust signature
    a specific type of certification for a certificate, which marks that key as a "trusted introducer" (i.e. the party that creates the trust signature signals that they will trust certifications that the "trusted introducer" makes on certificates)

tsig
    See {term}`Trust signature`
```