Etymologically
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certe

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɛr.teː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛr.te][1]

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]

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