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definitions

certain

[sur-tn]
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adjective

pronoun

certain ones: Certain of the members declined the invitation.

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RELATED WORDS

positive, sure, convinced, real, genuine, undeniable, clear, safe, definite, absolute, true, precise, specified, specific, individual, various, particular, numerous, special, assertive

Nearby words

  1. cerro de punta,
  2. cerro gordo,
  3. cerro tololo inter-american observatory,
  4. cert,
  5. cert.,
  6. certainly,
  7. certainty,
  8. certed,
  9. certes,
  10. certif.

Idioms

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

Origin of certain

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Vulgar Latin *certānus, equivalent to Latin cert(us) sure, settled (cer- base of cernere to decide, + -tus past participle suffix) + -ānus -an
SYNONYMS FOR certain
1. convinced, satisfied. See sure. 4. indubitable, incontestable, irrefutable, incontrovertible, obvious, plain, clear. 5. determined.
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR certain ON THESAURUS.COM
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for certain

British Dictionary definitions for certain

certain

adjective

(postpositive) positive and confident about the truth of something; convincedI am certain that he wrote a book
(usually postpositive) definitely knownit is certain that they were on the bus
(usually postpositive) sure; bound; destinedhe was certain to fail
decided or settled upon; fixedthe date is already certain for the invasion
unfailing; reliablehis judgment is certain
moderate or minimumto a certain extent
make certain of to ensure (that one will get something); confirm

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
Word Origin and History for certain

certain

adj.

c.1300, "determined, fixed," from Old French certain "reliable, sure, assured" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *certanus, from Latin certus "sure, fixed, settled, determined" (also source of Italian certo, Spanish cierto), originally a variant past participle of cernere "to distinguish, decide," literally "to sift, separate" (see crisis).

Of persons, "full of confidence in one's knowledge or judgment," from mid-14c. Euphemistic use (of a certain age, etc.) attested from mid-18c. Certainer, certainest were common to c.1750, but have fallen from proper use for some reason. Expression for certain "assuredly" is attested by early 14c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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.