surety

Meaning

Noun

• Certainty.
• That which makes sure; that which confirms; ground of confidence or security.
• A promise to pay a sum of money in the event that another person fails to fulfill an obligation.
• One who undertakes to pay money or perform other acts in the event that his principal fails therein.
• A substitute; a hostage.
• Evidence; confirmation; warrant.

Origin

• From Middle English surete, attested since the early 1300s in the sense "guarantee, promise, pledge, assurance", from Anglo-Norman seurté/Old French seurté with the same meaning (whence modern French sûreté), from Latin sēcūritās. Equivalent to sure + -ty. The senses "security, safety, stability" and "certainy" are attested since the late 1300s. "One who undertakes to pay if another does not" is from the early 1400s. security.