certe

Forms

certē (comparative certius, superlative certissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin certus + -ē, from the adjective “sure, certain”.^[2][1] De Vaan explains certus as the old past participle of cernō “to distinguish”, from Proto-Italic *krito- (“distinguished”), from Proto-Indo-European *krito- (“sifted”); compare Ancient Greek κριτός (kritós, “chosen, separated”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ennius writes certē Eurypylus hic quidem est, “this is surely Eurypylus”;^[2] Köbler dates it from Terence.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Certē means “certainly, without doubt”, in appeals and protests “surely”, in answers “yes, certainly”, and in questions “really?”.^[2][1] With a restrictive force it means “at least, at any rate”, often after aut or vel (aut falsa aut certē obscūra “either false or at least obscure”).^[2][1]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius: certē Eurypylus hic quidem est.^[2][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: is est, certē is est, is est profectō, “it's he, certainly it's he, it's he indeed”.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Found in Terence.^[4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero: aut falsa aut certē obscūra opīniō.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. certainly, without doubt, surely.^[2][1]
2. (in answers) Yes, certainly;^[2] (in questions) really?^[2]
3. At least, at any rate.^[2][1]

Related words

• certus
• certō
• profectō
• cernō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de