certain
/ˈsɝ.tən/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 5.16 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
adj
Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.
adj
adj
adj
Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail.
adj
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.
adj
Named but not previously mentioned.
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "I GET letters from you far too seldom considering that you can much more easily find people starting for Rome than I to Athens: considering, too, that you are more certain of my being at Rome than I of your being at Athens."
- "Now that more experiments have been run, the theory is certain and the argument is settled."
- "[…]the dreame is certaine, and the interpretation thereof ſure."
- "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."
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”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsɝ.tən/
- British English: /ˈsɜː.tən/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more certain (comparative)
certainer (comparative)
most certain (superlative)
certainest (superlative)
certaine (alternative, obsolete)
certayne (alternative, archaic)
certeine (alternative, archaic)
Certains (plural)