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ascertain

[as-er-teyn]
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verb (used with object)

to find out definitely; learn with certainty or assurance; determine: to ascertain the facts.
Archaic. to make certain, clear, or definitely known.

RELATED WORDS

confirm, verify, determine, divine, double-check, dig, eye, read, fix, discover, tell, see, settle, identify, learn, peg, establish, check, size, eyeball

Nearby words

  1. ascension day,
  2. ascensionist,
  3. ascensiontide,
  4. ascensive,
  5. ascent,
  6. ascertainable,
  7. ascesis,
  8. ascetic,
  9. asceticism,
  10. asch

Origin of ascertain

1400–50; late Middle English, variant of assertain, acertain < Middle French acertain- (tonic stem of acertener to make certain), equivalent to a- a-5 + certain certain
Related forms

Synonym study

1. See learn.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ascertained

British Dictionary definitions for ascertained

ascertain

verb (tr)

to determine or discover definitely
archaic to make certain
Derived Formsascertainable, adjectiveascertainably, adverbascertainment, noun

Word Origin for ascertain

C15: from Old French acertener to make certain
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
Word Origin and History for ascertained

ascertain

v.

early 15c., "to inform, to give assurance," from Anglo-French acerteiner, Old French acertener "to assure, certify" (13c.), from a "to" (see ad-) + certain "certain" (see certain). Modern meaning of "find out for sure by experiment or investigation" is first attested 1794. Related: Ascertained; ascertaining.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper