certify

[ sur-tuh-fahy ]
See synonyms for: certifycertifiedcertifier on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to attest as certain; give reliable information of; confirm: He certified the truth of his claim.

  2. to testify to or vouch for in writing: The medical examiner will certify his findings to the court.

  1. to guarantee; endorse reliably: to certify a document with an official seal.

  2. to guarantee (a check) by writing on its face that the account against which it is drawn has sufficient funds to pay it.

  3. to award a certificate to (a person) attesting to the completion of a course of study or the passing of a qualifying examination.

  4. to declare legally insane and committable to a mental institution.

  5. Archaic. to assure or inform with certainty.

verb (used without object),cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to give assurance; testify; vouch for the validity of something (usually followed by to).

Origin of certify

1
1300–50; Middle English certifien<Middle French certifier<Late Latin certificāre, equivalent to Latin certi- (combining form of certus decided; see certain) + -ficāre-fy

Other words for certify

Other words from certify

  • cer·ti·fi·er, noun
  • pre·cer·ti·fy, verb (used with object), pre·cer·ti·fied, pre·cer·ti·fy·ing.
  • re·cer·ti·fy, verb (used with object), re·cer·ti·fied, re·cer·ti·fy·ing.
  • un·cer·ti·fy·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use certify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for certify

certify

/ (ˈsɜːtɪˌfaɪ) /


verb-fies, -fying or -fied
  1. to confirm or attest (to), usually in writing: the letter certified her age

  2. (tr) to endorse or guarantee (that certain required standards have been met)

  1. to give reliable information or assurances: he certified that it was Walter's handwriting

  2. (tr) to declare legally insane

  3. (tr) US and Canadian (of a bank) to state in writing on (a cheque) that payment is guaranteed

Origin of certify

1
C14: from Old French certifier, from Medieval Latin certificāre to make certain, from Latin certus certain + facere to make

Derived forms of certify

  • certifier, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012