certain

Meaning

Adj

1. Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something.
2. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
3. Sure to happen, inevitable; assured.
4. Unfailing; infallible.
5. Fixed; regular; determinate.
6. Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail.
7. (euphemistic) 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.
8. Named but not previously mentioned.
9. Used before the name of someone famous that people are expected to know.
10. (obsolete) Determined; resolved.

Det

Having been determined but not specified.

Pron

Unnamed or undescribed members (of).

Synonyms

sure

definite

some

true

confident

fixed

positive

inevitable

clear

particular

assured

secure

safe

convinced

unavoidable

specific

reliable

other

obvious

trustworthy

inescapable

decided

surely

undeniable

real

constant

one

settled

distinct

undoubted

special

absolute

dependable

believe in

believe

another

stable

given

sealed

a few

🤏

cocksure

evident

prescribed

self-evident

certainty

guaranteed

plain

doubtless

incontrovertible

indisputable

Translations

certain

sûr

certo

sicher

seguro

cierto

gewiss

zeker

certo

sicuro

bestimmt

cert

βέβαιος

σίγουρος

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsɜːtn̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: certeyn

Cognate with Middle English: -

Cognate with Old English: ġewiss

In summary

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”).

Sentences

Chemical hazards are systems where chemical accidents could occur under certain circumstances .

Pollination is by certain insects , namely the belid weevil "Rhopalotria mollis".