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Dictionary / certain

certain

/ˈsɜː.tən/ (Received-Pronunciation)/ˈsɜː.tn̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)/ˈsɝ.tən/ (Canada, General-American)syllables: cer·tain
  • adjective
  • determiner
  • pronoun
  • from Old French

Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “certain” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

adjective

  1. Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.

    I was certain of my decision.

  2. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.

    Now that more experiments have been run, the theory is certain and the argument is settled.

  3. Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.

    It is certain that Spain will reach the finals. / Spain is now certain to reach the finals. / Spain is now certain of a place in the finals.

  4. Unfailing; infallible.

    I have often wished, that I knew so certain a remedy in any other disease1702, Richard Mead, Mechanical Account of Poisons:

  5. Fixed; regular; determinate.

    at certain intervals

  6. Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail.

    Every wine has a certain distinctive character which sets it apart from all others.

  7. euphemisticUsed to denote that the speaker is referring to a specific person or thing that they do not want to name directly, implying that the listener should infer the identity of the referent.

    I would have been here on time, but a certain someone lost the car keys!

  8. Named but not previously mentioned.

    Looking inside the cover, they learned that the book had once belonged to a certain R. Jones.

  9. Used before the name of someone famous that people are expected to know.

    Since the last British government to make such a proposal was that of a certain Margaret Thatcher, it might not seem unreasonable.

Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. obsoleteDetermined; resolved.
Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

determiner

  1. Having been determined but not specified.

    Certain people are good at running.

Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

pronoun

  1. with ofUnnamed or undescribed members (of).

    She mentioned a series of contracts, of which certain are not cited.

Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (7)
  1. adjectivedefinite but not specified or identified
  2. adjectivehaving or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured — also: sure
  3. adjectiveestablished beyond doubt or question; definitely known
  4. adjectivecertain to occur; destined or inevitable; ; ; - Benjamin Franklin — also: sure
  5. adjectiveestablished irrevocably — also: sealed
  6. adjectivereliable in operation or effect — also: sure
  7. adjectiveexercising or taking care great enough to bring assurance — also: sure
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: unavoidable, assured, certain, clear, confident, definite, doubtless, positive, sicker, sure, unambiguous, unequivocal

Antonyms: uncertain, impossible, incidental, particular specific

Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)certain
  2. Middle Englishcerteyn
  3. Old Frenchcertain
  4. Old Frencha

From Middle English certeyn, certein, certain, borrowed from Old French certain, from a Vulgar Latin unattested form *certānus, extended form of Latin certus (“fixed, resolved, certain”), of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere (“to separate, perceive, decide”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”)) and alternative Middle English spelling sertane (“some, certain”).

Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “certain”

certainitycertainlycertainnesscertaintynoncertain

Phrases & compounds

certain as death and taxescertain as death or taxescertain eventcertain personfor certainmake certainnothing is certain but death and taxesof a certainof a certain age

Related terms

intentionalirrefutablefated
Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “certain” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “certain” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Old French
Old French certain
Oldest written form
Old French
Old French a
Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Wiktionary’s etymology does not give a separate meaning for the earliest form of “certain”, so we don’t state one. The historical dictionary entry below shows how the word was understood in 1913.

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

certain a. [F. certain, fr. (assumed) LL. certanus, fr. L. certus determined, fixed, certain, orig. p. p. of cernere to perceive, decide, determine; akin to Gr. concern, critic, crime, riddle a sieve, rinse, v.]

  1. Assured in mind; having no doubts; free from suspicions concerning.
  2. Determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive.
  3. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
  4. Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable.

certain n.

  1. Certainty.
  2. A certain number or quantity.

certain adv.

  1. Certainly.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

adjectiveMeaning: Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.

I was certain of my decision.

[…] I think, nay, I may say that I'm sartain, we'll have a hurricane afore morning. It's not the first time I've cruised in these latitudes.1833, [Frederick Marryat], chapter VIII, in Peter Simple. […], volume III, London: Saunders and Otley, […], published 1834, →OCLC, page 113:

adjectiveMeaning: Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.

Now that more experiments have been run, the theory is certain and the argument is settled.

adjectiveMeaning: Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.

It is certain that Spain will reach the finals. / Spain is now certain to reach the finals. / Spain is now certain of a place in the finals.

Bankruptcy is the certain outcome of your constant gambling and lending.

adjectiveMeaning: Unfailing; infallible.

I have often wished, that I knew so certain a remedy in any other disease1702, Richard Mead, Mechanical Account of Poisons:

You can walk down the streets, of course, and follow a person dressed in a certain style in the hope they will lead you to a certain kind of place, but it is easier and far more certain to buy a guidebook—a guidebook for special persons of special tastes.1990, Jane DeLynn, Don Juan in the Village, page 17:

adjectiveMeaning: Fixed; regular; determinate.

at certain intervals

adjectiveMeaning: Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail.

Every wine has a certain distinctive character which sets it apart from all others.

Each morning, she would see a certain man rush past her window on his way to work.

adjectiveMeaning: definite but not specified or identified

set aside a certain sum each week

to a certain degree

adjectiveMeaning: having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

felt certain of success

was sure (or certain) she had seen it

adjectiveMeaning: established beyond doubt or question; definitely known

what is certain is that every effect must have a cause

it is certain that they were on the bus

adjectiveMeaning: certain to occur; destined or inevitable; ; ; - Benjamin Franklin

he was certain to fail

his fate is certain

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “certain” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 9

Say it, then spell it

certain

/ˈsɜː.tən/ · cer·tain

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

certain

/ˈsɜː.tən/ · cer·tain · adjective, determiner, pronoun

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “certain” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (adjective) Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.
2. (adjective) Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
3. (adjective) Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.
4. (adjective) Unfailing; infallible.
5. (adjective) Fixed; regular; determinate.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“I was certain of my decision.”

A. Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.
B. Fixed; regular; determinate.
C. Used to denote that the speaker is referring to a specific person or thing that they do not want to name directly, implying that the listener should infer the identity of the referent.

Circle the meaning used.

“Now that more experiments have been run, the theory is certain and the argument is settled.”

A. Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail.
B. Unfailing; infallible.
C. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.

Circle the meaning used.

“It is certain that Spain will reach the finals. / Spain is now certain to reach the finals. / Spain is now certain of a place in the finals.”

A. Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail.
B. Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.
C. Fixed; regular; determinate.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “certain” come into English from?   A. New Latin  B. Late Latin  C. Anglo-Norman  D. Old French

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “certain” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

Read the etymology on the page. What does it tell you about the word’s earlier meaning?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “certain” to mean: Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.
Write a sentence using “certain” to mean: Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
Write a sentence using “certain” to mean: Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — certain

Which meaning, sentence 1: A. Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.

Which meaning, sentence 2: C. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.

Which meaning, sentence 3: B. Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.

Origin: D. Old French (Old French certain)

Journey: English certain ← Middle English certeyn ← Old French certain ← Old French a

Some derivatives: certainity, certainly, certainness, certainty, noncertain

Etymology: From Middle English certeyn, certein, certain, borrowed from Old French certain, from a Vulgar Latin unattested form *certānus, extended form of Latin certus (“fixed, resolved, certain”), of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere (“to separate, perceive, decide”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”)) and alternative Middle English spelling sertane (“some, certain”).

Sources: Wiktionary “certain” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/certain#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/certain