certus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkɛr.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛr.tus]^[1]

Forms

certus (feminine certa, neuter certum, comparative certior, superlative certissimus, adverb certē or certō); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *krito- (“distinguished, decided”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *kri-to- (“sifted”), the old past participle of cernō “to sift, decide”.^[2][1][3] When its meaning shifted to “certain”, the verb took a new participle, crētus.^[1][2] The verb certāre “to contend” may be based on the older sense “decided”.^[2]

Cognate with Ancient Greek κριτός (kritós, “chosen, separated”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,^[2] as in certumst consilium mihi, “my plan is fixed”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant fixed or settled, as Cato's “set a fixed day”, and of plans firm, certum est meant “I am resolved”.^[3][4] It was used to single something out, “a certain, a particular”, and of facts undoubted, of signs and witnesses sure, of things bound to happen inevitable, and of people dependable, as in Ennius' amicus certus in re incerta cernitur, “a sure friend is known in an unsure matter”.^[3]

It meant resolved, confident and sure, and certiorem facere meant to inform someone.^[3][1] A weapon was certus when it hit its mark, and a step or a sense steady.^[3] Medieval Latin also used it for fixed payments and services.^[5] It survives as Italian and Portuguese certo, Romanian cert and Spanish cierto, and in French certes.^[1] English certain comes from Old French, from a Vulgar Latin extension of the word.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a fixed plan.^[3][7]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius speaks of the sure friend.^[3][7]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a fixed day.^[3][7]
• 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of an arrow that hits its mark.^[3][7]
• c. 1300 – English certain is first recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Fixed, settled, definite.^[3][8]
2. (of plans) Firm, certum est it is resolved.^[3][4]
3. Particular, a certain.^[3]
4. Undoubted, sure.^[3][1]
5. Bound to happen, inevitable.^[3]
6. (of people) Reliable, true.^[3]
7. Resolved, determined.^[3][1]
8. Confident; informed, certiorem facere to inform.^[3][1]
9. (of weapons) Well-aimed.^[3]
10. Steady, firm.^[3]

Word family

• certificō
• certiōrō
• certiscō
• certitūdō
• certum
• incertus
• certē
• certō

Related words

• cernō
• crībrum
• English certain
• English certify

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press