confirm English · revision 5518

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1250|origins=la firmus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /kənˈfɜːm/, US /kənˈfɝːm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|confermen|alt=confirmyen, confermen]], [[bor|fro|confermer|t=to strengthen, establish]] and directly from [[la|cōnfirmāre|t=to make firm, strengthen]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|la|con-]] (here intensive) and [[m|la|firmāre|t=to strengthen]], from [[m|la|firmus|t=firm, steadfast]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) It is related to [[firm]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To ratify or make valid by a legal act: before 1250 in Barnhart, the mid-13th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The OED's first quotation, for “make firm, strengthen”, is from before 1300.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Ratifying a person in an office is from 1297.^(OED 1989) Administering the church rite of confirmation is from about 1315,^(OED 1989) and ''confirmation'' itself from about 1303.^(Barnhart 1988) To make certain, to verify the truth of something, is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) To strengthen someone in an opinion or purpose is from 1485.^(OED 1989) ''Confirmed'', firmly established in a habit, as in ''a confirmed bachelor'', is from about 1350.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1250 – to ratify.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1297 – to ratify a person in an office.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1315 – to administer confirmation.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – to verify.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1485 – to strengthen in an opinion.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To show or state that something is true or correct; to [[verify]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make an arrangement definite: ''confirm a booking''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make a belief or feeling stronger.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make something valid by a formal act; to [[ratify]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To admit someone to full membership of a church by the rite of [[confirmation]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[confirmability]]

+ * [[confirmable]]

+ * [[confirmer]]

+ * [[confirmingly]]

+ * [[preconfirm]]

+ * [[unconfirm]]

+ * [[reconfirm]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[confirmation]]

+ * [[firm]]

+ * [[affirm]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Among its synonyms, confirm usually suggests removing all doubt about something that was uncertain, while corroborate means supporting a statement with further evidence, and substantiate means proving it with solid evidence.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}