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certified

[sur-tuh-fahyd]
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adjective
  1. having or proved by a certificate: a certified representative.
  2. guaranteed; reliably endorsed: a certified check.
  3. legally declared insane.
  4. committed to a mental institution.
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Origin of certified

First recorded in 1605–15; certify + -ed2
Related formsnon·cer·ti·fied, adjectiveun·cer·ti·fied, adjectivewell-cer·ti·fied, adjective

certify

[sur-tuh-fahy]
verb (used with object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to attest as certain; give reliable information of; confirm: He certified the truth of his claim.
  2. to testify to or vouch for in writing: The medical examiner will certify his findings to the court.
  3. to guarantee; endorse reliably: to certify a document with an official seal.
  4. to guarantee (a check) by writing on its face that the account against which it is drawn has sufficient funds to pay it.
  5. to award a certificate to (a person) attesting to the completion of a course of study or the passing of a qualifying examination.
  6. to declare legally insane and committable to a mental institution.
  7. Archaic. to assure or inform with certainty.
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verb (used without object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to give assurance; testify; vouch for the validity of something (usually followed by to).
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Origin of certify

1300–50; Middle English certifien < Middle French certifier < Late Latin certificāre, equivalent to Latin certi- (combining form of certus decided; see certain) + -ficāre -fy
Related formscer·ti·fi·er, nounpre·cer·ti·fy, verb (used with object), pre·cer·ti·fied, pre·cer·ti·fy·ing.re·cer·ti·fy, verb (used with object), re·cer·ti·fied, re·cer·ti·fy·ing.un·cer·ti·fy·ing, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for certify on Thesaurus.com
1. corroborate, verify, validate, guarantee.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for certified

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The open sea, of the existence of which we are certified, must wash the shores of continents.

    The Field of Ice

    Jules Verne

  • The moment you get your message I will hand you the certified cheque.'

  • I certified as to that much, and she immediately ran off to bring my sister.

  • They certified it with their own names, and then passed with their children into the sunshine.

    A Singer from the Sea

    Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr

  • I have no certified advice to offer on the question of textbooks.

    College Teaching

    Paul Klapper

British Dictionary definitions for certified

certified

adjective
  1. holding or guaranteed by a certificate
  2. endorsed or guaranteeda certified cheque
  3. (of a person) declared legally insane
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certify

verb -fies, -fying or -fied
  1. to confirm or attest (to), usually in writingthe letter certified her age
  2. (tr) to endorse or guarantee (that certain required standards have been met)
  3. to give reliable information or assuranceshe certified that it was Walter's handwriting
  4. (tr) to declare legally insane
  5. (tr) US and Canadian (of a bank) to state in writing on (a cheque) that payment is guaranteed
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Derived Formscertifier, noun

Word Origin

C14: from Old French certifier, from Medieval Latin certificāre to make certain, from Latin certus certain + facere to make
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 certified

certify

v.

mid-14c., "to declare the truth of," also "to vouch for or confirm" (an official record, etc.), from Old French certefiier "make certain, witness the truth of" (12c.), from Late Latin certificare "to certify, to make certain," from Latin certus (see certain) + root of facere "to make, do" (see factitious). Also used in Middle English in broader senses of "inform, give notice; instruct, to direct; to designate." Related: Certified; certifying. Certified public accountant attested from 1896.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper