Certain Definition

sûrtn
adjective
Fixed, settled, or determined.
Webster's New World
Sure (to happen, etc.); inevitable.
Webster's New World
Not to be doubted; unquestionable.
Certain evidence.
Webster's New World
Not failing; reliable; dependable.
A certain cure.
Webster's New World
Without any doubt; assured; sure; positive.
Certain of his innocence.
Webster's New World
pronoun
A certain indefinite number; certain ones (of)
Certain of these authors are seldom read.
Webster's New World
determiner
Having been determined but unspecified. The quality of some particular subject or object which is known by the speaker to have been specifically singled out among similar entities of its class.
Certain people are good at running.
Wiktionary

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Certain

Origin of Certain

  • From Middle English certain, certein, from Old French certain, from 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”)

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old French from Vulgar Latin certānus from Latin certus past participle of cernere to determine krei- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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