ascertain

Meaning

1. To find out definitely; to discover or establish.
2. (obsolete) To make (someone) certain or confident about something; to inform.
3. To establish, to prove.
4. To ensure or effect.

Hyphenated as

as‧cer‧tain

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌæsəˈteɪn/

Etymology

From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.