certification
Americannoun
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certifications
plural
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the act of certifying.
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the state of being certified.
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a certified statement.
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the writing on the face of a check by which it is certified.
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Law. a certificate attesting the truth of some statement or event.
noun
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the act of certifying or state of being certified
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law a document attesting the truth of a fact or statement
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of certification
1400–50; late Middle English certificacio ( u ) n < Medieval Latin certificātiōn- (stem of certificātiō ). See certificate, -ion
Explanation
Certification is official proof that something is true or authentic, or the process of obtaining that proof. To work as a life guard, you need certification in both swimming and first aid — and a whole lot of sunscreen. If you want to be an elementary school teacher, you'll need to get certification, which shows you've been tested and found qualified to teach. Likewise, an auto mechanic's certification demonstrates her education and skill at car repair. One element of certification is demonstrating your ability, and the other is obtaining a document (or certificate) so you can prove that ability to other people.
Vocabulary lists containing certification
"Most Dangerous 'Sport' of All May Be Cheerleading"
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 5–January 11, 2025
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Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken?
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The DMV announced the new regulations in April, along with certification requirements that mandate testing with a safety driver and 500,000 miles driven at each stage of certification.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
At a local pool she joined a group of teenagers and received her lifeguard certification.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Mexico's leftist President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that Colombia had refused entry to Mexican rescuers over an alleged lack of correct certification.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Trust in quality created by certification can greatly reduce consumers’ decision-making costs,” said Duan Yunchao, chairman and CEO of Hunan Zhongma Jiakai International Trade Services, a business that helps Chinese companies expand overseas.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Gradually, a specialization process began to occur and music became a regular subject with its own certification, an educational tradition that continues to this day.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Such certifications can take anywhere from hours to months to obtain, ranging in price from free to thousands of dollars in tuition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
In some cases, they are seeking to add new skills, obtaining certifications to demonstrate their fluency in the technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
They can pursue certifications tied directly to the role they want, shadow professionals, undertake projects that produce work samples and contact alumni for advice and introductions.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
With the certifications moving ahead, Boeing expects to ramp up MAX production in the coming period.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
I have no idea if she had any medical certifications beyond a vague notion of CPR, but she pulled Grace’s sagging body to the ground all the same.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
