certain English · revision 3486

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300 (Arthour and Merlin)|origins=la certus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈsɜː.tən/, US /ˈsɝː.tən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|certein]], [[bor|fro|certain|t=reliable, sure]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la-vul|*certānus]], an extension of [[m|la|certus|t=determined, fixed, sure]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) originally a variant past participle of [[m|la|cernere|t=to sift, distinguish, decide]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) Etymonline traces it to [[ine-pro|*krei-|t=to sieve]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) also the source of Greek [[m|grc|κρίνω|tr=krī́nō|t=to separate, judge]] and so of [[crisis]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MW Collegiate) Latin ''certus'' itself gave French cert, Italian [[m|it|certo]] and Spanish [[m|es|cierto]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Determined, fixed, settled: 1297,^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) or before 1300, in ''Arthour and Merlin''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Sure to happen, inevitable” and “to be depended on” are from before 1300.^(OED 1989) Of persons, “fully confident in one's knowledge”, it is from the mid-14th century, a sense Latin ''certus'' also had,^(Etymonline) or 1362.^(OED 1989) “Established as true beyond doubt” is from about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The meaning “particular but not named”, as in ''a certain man'', is from the late 14th century;^(Etymonline) the OED notes that this is hardly separable from the first sense, since ''a certain hour'' was fixed but not told to the reader.^(Etymonline) ''A certain age'', “no longer young”, is from the 19th century, after French ''d'un certain âge''.^(Hoad 1986) The pronoun use, “some”, is from the 15th century.^(MW Collegiate) ''Certain sure'', “quite sure”, was common in English dialect speech.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1297 – fixed, settled.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1300 – inevitable; dependable.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1362 – of persons, confident.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – particular but unnamed.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – established as true.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 15th century – pronoun, some.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 19th century – ''a certain age''.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Definite; fixed.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Sure to happen; [[inevitable]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Established beyond doubt; [[indisputable]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Reliable; dependable.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Confident, assured.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Particular but not named: ''a certain person''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Some, but not much: ''a certain reluctance''.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # An indefinite but limited number; some: ''certain of the members''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[certainly]]

+ * [[certainty]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[certify]]

+ * [[concern]]

+ * [[discern]]

+ * [[crisis]]

+ * [[critic]]

+ * [[secret]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that, though ''certain'' seems an absolute term, it is often qualified, as in ''fairly certain'', and compares it with ''inevitable'', ''inescapable'', ''unavoidable'' and ''sure''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}