Etymologically
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certainement

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /sɛʁ.tɛn.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

certainement[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French certain + -ment, on the feminine of the adjective.[2][3][4][5][1][6] The TLFi notes that the date 1138 (the Life of Saint Giles), given by some dictionaries, is wrong, since that text dates from the last third of the 12th century.[2][4]

Compare Old Occitan certanamen.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gautier d'Arras's Eracle (about 1165) is the first record;[2][6] Chrétien de Troyes has Car tu sais bien certainement, “for you know it for sure”.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

In Old and Middle French it meant “for sure, with certainty”, often with verbs of knowing: il sot certainement que c'estoit ses sires (Chronique de Reims).[6] The TLFi marks as dated the sense “in a way that guarantees the outcome”; in modern French it is mainly a reinforcement of an assertion, an affirmative answer, and by extension “very probably”.[2][5] Certainement que… “certainly…” is in Maupassant.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 1165 – Gautier d'Arras, Eracle.[2]
  • 13th century – Sachiez certainement, Berte aus grans piés.[6]
  • 1694 – Recorded by the Académie.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. certainly, without doubt: cela arrivera certainement.[5][1]
  2. Reinforcing an assertion: il est certainement le plus doué.[5]
  3. (as an answer) Certainly, of course: Viendrez-vous demain ? — Certainement.[4][5]
  4. Very probably: il avait certainement trop bu.[5][1]
  5. Certainement que…: it is certain that.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette