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ascertain

[ as-er-teyn ]
/ ˌæs ərˈteɪn /
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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

ascension day, ascensionist, ascensiontide, ascensive, ascent, ascertaining, ascertainable, ascesis, ascetic, asceticism, 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 ascertaining

British Dictionary definitions for ascertaining

ascertain

/ (ˌæsəˈteɪn) /

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 ascertaining

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