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 severe depletion of mackerel numbers has led to the fish losing its MSC certification, meaning it no longer complies with many retailers' sustainability policies.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
Mr. Buck suggests ending this “master’s premium” and expanding other teacher certification pathways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
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
A medallion signature guarantee, for those who are unaware, is a special certification for transferring or selling securities like stocks and bonds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
The Time cover story, an all-purpose certification of celebrity in that era, enhanced Ernest’s fame among the lay public, which was happy to offer unsolicited advice and criticism to the brilliant young American scientist.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Advocates say U.S. certifications will come through soon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 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
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
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.
