Dictionary.com

certain

[ sur-tn ]
/ ˈsɜr tn /
Save This Word!

adjective
pronoun
certain ones: Certain of the members declined the invitation.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Idioms about certain

    for certain, without a doubt; surely: I know for certain that I have seen that face before.

Origin of certain

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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say certain?

Someone who is certain of something is free from doubt or reservation about it. How is certain different from sure, confident, and positive? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

How to use certain in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for certain

certain
/ (ˈsɜːtən) /

adjective
adverb
for certain definitely; without a doubthe will win for certain
determiner
  1. known but not specified or namedcertain people may doubt this
  2. (as pronoun; functioning as plural)certain of the members have not paid their subscriptions
named but not knownhe had written to a certain Mrs Smith

Word Origin for certain

C13: from Old French, from Latin certus sure, fixed, from cernere to discern, decide
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

Other Idioms and Phrases with certain

certain

see for certain.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
FEEDBACK