certify

[ sur-tuh-fahy ]

/ ˈsɜr təˌfaɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR certify ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.

to attest as certain; give reliable information of; confirm: He certified the truth of his claim.

to testify to or vouch for in writing: The medical examiner will certify his findings to the court.

to guarantee; endorse reliably: to certify a document with an official seal.

to guarantee (a check) by writing on its face that the account against which it is drawn has sufficient funds to pay it.

to award a certificate to (a person) attesting to the completion of a course of study or the passing of a qualifying examination.

to declare legally insane and committable to a mental institution.

Archaic. to assure or inform with certainty.

verb (used without object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.

to give assurance; testify; vouch for the validity of something (usually followed by to).

Nearby words

certified mail, certified milk, certified pasteurized milk, certified professional secretary, certified public accountant, certify, certiorari, certitude, certosina, cerulean, cerulean blue

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

SYNONYMS FOR certify

1 corroborate, verify, validate, guarantee.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR certify ON THESAURUS.COM

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for certify

In order to withhold the photographs, the secretary of defense must certify that photographs could cause harm to Americans.
The Detainee Abuse Photos Obama Didn’t Want You To See|Noah Shachtman, Tim Mak|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The FAA will have to certify SpaceShipTwo as airworthy, but there are as yet no protocols in place for that process.
Tycoons in Space: One in Orbit and One Still Grounded|Clive Irving|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The decision to certify the planes and their sensors has been pending since late last year, long before the Ukraine crisis began.
Pentagon Moves to Block Russian Spy Plane in American Skies|Eli Lake|April 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The first is how the FAA can certify the craft as safe for passenger flight.
Branson’s Galactic Obstacles: Tom Bower Puts a Damper on Virgin’s Space Flight Dreams|Clive Irving|January 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The folks from RecordSetter.com were there, the hosts told the hopeful twerkers, to adjudicate and certify the world record.
Scandal in Twerktown: Big Freedia’s Twerking World Record Challenged|Brian Ries|September 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Cowper—When you returned to the Coroner's inquest, what did you certify as your opinion?
State Trials Vol. 2 (of 2)|Various
Why will they attempt to bribe Science to certify to the writings of God?
Individuality|Robert G. Ingersoll
He could, indeed, certify to himself that the drawing of the features was correct enough.
Lippincott's Magazine, Volume 11, No. 26, May, 1873|Various
Another there was who asked the Captain to certify that he had not received royal pay, he himself having given it.
The Voyages of Pedro Fernandez de Quiros|Pedro Fernandez de Quiros
They would not hesitate to certify to the land office that such lands were "unoccupied."
Glimpses of Three Coasts|Helen Hunt Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for certify

certify

/ (ˈsɜːtɪˌfaɪ) /

verb -fies, -fying or -fied

to confirm or attest (to), usually in writingthe letter certified her age

(tr) to endorse or guarantee (that certain required standards have been met)

to give reliable information or assuranceshe certified that it was Walter's handwriting

(tr) to declare legally insane

(tr) US and Canadian (of a bank) to state in writing on (a cheque) that payment is guaranteed

Derived Formscertifier, noun

Word Origin for certify

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 certify

certify

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.

certify

verb (used with object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.

verb (used without object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.

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certify

verb -fies, -fying or -fied

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certify

certify

verb (used without object), cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing.

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certify

verb -fies, -fying or -fied

Word Origin for certify

Word Origin and History for certify

certify

British Dictionary definitions for certify