certain

Meanings

Adjective

• Sure, positive, not doubting.
• Determined; resolved.
• Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
• Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable.
• Unfailing; infallible.
• Fixed or stated; regular; determinate.
• Known but not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; sometimes used independently as a noun, and meaning certain persons; see also "one".

Pronoun

• Unnamed or undescribed members (of).

Noun

• Something certain.

Related

Similar words

• some

Opposite words

• uncertain
• impossible, incidental
• particular specific

Origin

• From Middle English certeyn, certein, certain, borrowed from Old French certain, from a Vulgar Latin unattested form *certānus, extended form of Latin certus ("fixed, resolved, certain"), of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere. Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (from Old English ġewiss ("certain, sure")) and alternative Middle English spelling sertane