certain
ADJECTIVE:
1. free from doubt or reservation; confident; sure:
I am certain he will come.
2. destined; sure to happen (usually followed by an infinitive):
He is certain to be there.
3. inevitable; bound to come:
They realized then that war was certain.
4. established as true or sure; unquestionable; indisputable:
It is certain that he tried.
5. fixed; agreed upon; settled:
on a certain day; for a certain amount.
6. definite or particular, but not named or specified:
A certain person phoned; He had a certain charm.
7. that may be depended on; trustworthy; unfailing; reliable:
His aim was certain.
8. some though not much:
a certain reluctance.
9. (postpositive) positive and confident about the truth of something; convinced:
I am certain that he wrote a book.
10. (usually postpositive) definitely known:
it is certain that they were on the bus.
11. (usually postpositive) sure; bound; destined:
he was certain to fail.
12. decided or settled upon; fixed:
the date is already certain for the invasion.
13. unfailing; reliable:
his judgment is certain.
14. moderate or minimum:
to a certain extent.
15. fixed, settled:
a certain percentage of the profit.
16. of a specific but unspecified character, quantity, or degree:
the house has a certain charm.
17. dependable, reliable:
a certain remedy for the disease.
18. known or proved to be true; indisputable:
it is certain that we exist.
19. inevitable:
the certain advance of age.
20. incapable of failing; destined —used with a following infinitive:
she is certain to do well.
21. assured in mind or action:
I am certain they are right.
Examples:
I'm fairly certain that I'll be on time; a certain person told me that today is your birthday. —Merriam-Webster.
obsolete:
steadfast.
Origin:
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin certānus, equivalent to Latin cert(us) “sure, settled” (cer- base of cernere “to decide” + -tus past participle suffix) + -ānus-an. British dictionary: C13: from Old French, from Latin certus sure, fixed, from cernere to discern, decide. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of certain: Adjective: 13th century. Pronoun, plural in construction: 15th century. History and Etymology for certain: Adjective: Middle English certeyn, certayne, borrowed from Anglo-French certein, certain, going back to Vulgar Latin *certānus, from Latin certus "fixed, settled, indisputable," originally past participle of cernere "to sift, discern, decide, determine" (going back to an Indo-European present stem *kri-n-, verbal adjective *kri-to-, from a verbal base *krei̯̯̯(h1)- "sift, separate," whence Greek krī́nein "to separate, choose, decide," verbal adjective kritós, Welsh gogrynu "to sift") + -ānus + -an entry 2. Pronoun, plural in construction: Middle English certyn, derivative of certeyn certain entry 1. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Updated: 27 August 2020 {11:42 AM}
1. free from doubt or reservation; confident; sure:
I am certain he will come.
2. destined; sure to happen (usually followed by an infinitive):
He is certain to be there.
3. inevitable; bound to come:
They realized then that war was certain.
4. established as true or sure; unquestionable; indisputable:
It is certain that he tried.
5. fixed; agreed upon; settled:
on a certain day; for a certain amount.
6. definite or particular, but not named or specified:
A certain person phoned; He had a certain charm.
7. that may be depended on; trustworthy; unfailing; reliable:
His aim was certain.
8. some though not much:
a certain reluctance.
9. (postpositive) positive and confident about the truth of something; convinced:
I am certain that he wrote a book.
10. (usually postpositive) definitely known:
it is certain that they were on the bus.
11. (usually postpositive) sure; bound; destined:
he was certain to fail.
12. decided or settled upon; fixed:
the date is already certain for the invasion.
13. unfailing; reliable:
his judgment is certain.
14. moderate or minimum:
to a certain extent.
15. fixed, settled:
a certain percentage of the profit.
16. of a specific but unspecified character, quantity, or degree:
the house has a certain charm.
17. dependable, reliable:
a certain remedy for the disease.
18. known or proved to be true; indisputable:
it is certain that we exist.
19. inevitable:
the certain advance of age.
20. incapable of failing; destined —used with a following infinitive:
she is certain to do well.
21. assured in mind or action:
I am certain they are right.
Examples:
I'm fairly certain that I'll be on time; a certain person told me that today is your birthday. —Merriam-Webster.
obsolete:
steadfast.
Origin:
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin certānus, equivalent to Latin cert(us) “sure, settled” (cer- base of cernere “to decide” + -tus past participle suffix) + -ānus-an. British dictionary: C13: from Old French, from Latin certus sure, fixed, from cernere to discern, decide. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of certain: Adjective: 13th century. Pronoun, plural in construction: 15th century. History and Etymology for certain: Adjective: Middle English certeyn, certayne, borrowed from Anglo-French certein, certain, going back to Vulgar Latin *certānus, from Latin certus "fixed, settled, indisputable," originally past participle of cernere "to sift, discern, decide, determine" (going back to an Indo-European present stem *kri-n-, verbal adjective *kri-to-, from a verbal base *krei̯̯̯(h1)- "sift, separate," whence Greek krī́nein "to separate, choose, decide," verbal adjective kritós, Welsh gogrynu "to sift") + -ānus + -an entry 2. Pronoun, plural in construction: Middle English certyn, derivative of certeyn certain entry 1. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Updated: 27 August 2020 {11:42 AM}