certain

== English == === Alternative forms === certaine (obsolete) certayne (archaic) certeine (archaic) === Etymology === 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 (“to separate, perceive, decide”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”)) and alternative Middle English spelling sertane (“some, certain”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈsɜː.tən/, /ˈsɜː.tn̩/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈsɝ.tən/, /ˈsɝ.tn̩/, /ˈsɝ.ʔn̩/ Hyphenation: cer‧tain Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tən === Adjective === certain (comparative more certain or certainer, superlative most certain or certainest) Sure in one's mind, positive; absolutely confident in the truth of something. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:certain Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact. Sure to happen, inevitable; assured. Unfailing; infallible. Fixed; regular; determinate. at certain intervals Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail. (euphemistic, preceded by "a") Used to denote that the speaker is referring to a specific person or thing that they do not want to name directly, implying that the listener should infer the identity of the referent. (preceded by "a", of a person) Named but not previously mentioned. Synonym: one (preceded by "a", of a person) Used before the name of someone famous that people are expected to know. Synonym: one (obsolete) Determined; resolved. ==== Synonyms ==== (sure to happen): unavoidable; See also Thesaurus:inevitable ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “not doubting”): uncertain (antonym(s) of “sure to happen”): impossible, incidental (antonym(s) of “known but not named”): particular specific ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Determiner === certain Having been determined but not specified. ==== Translations ==== === Pronoun === certain (with of) Unnamed or undescribed members (of). Synonym: some === Further reading === “certain”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. “certain”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “certain”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. === Anagrams === tacrine, nacrite, tricane, Cretian, ant rice, crinate, anticer, Rectina, ceratin, citrean, Catrine, cantier, creatin, tercian == French == === Etymology === Inherited from Old French certain, from Vulgar Latin unattested form *certānus, extended form of Latin certus (“fixed, resolved, certain”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /sɛʁ.tɛ̃/, (in laison) /sɛʁ.tɛ.n‿/ === Adjective === certain (feminine certaine, masculine plural certains, feminine plural certaines) certain, guaranteed (sure, positive) sûr et certain ― (please add an English translation of this usage example) une victoire certaine ― a sure victory certain (specified, particular) certain (of indefinite, unknown or simply unmentioned identity, quality or quantity) (prepositive to the noun it modifies, and usually preceded by an indefinite article) dans une certaine mesure ― (please add an English translation of this usage example) d'un certain âge ― (please add an English translation of this usage example) un certain nombre de ― a certain number of une certaine femme ― a certain woman ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== certitude === Determiner === certain m (feminine certaine, masculine plural certains, feminine plural certaines) certain: a determined but unspecified amount of; some ==== Usage notes ==== The plurals certains and certaines are generally not used with articles, functioning much like articles themselves. Nevertheless, particularly in circumstantial and objective complements introduced by à (including such compounds as jusqu'à), they are sometimes supported by the indefinite article de — not to be confused with the preposition de: à de certaines heures du matin par rapport à de certains pays voisins s'avancer jusqu'à de certaines limites s'attendre à de certaines conditions === References === === Anagrams === carient, centrai, cernait, crainte, criante, écriant, encirât, encrait == Old French == === Alternative forms === chertain (Picard) === Etymology === From Vulgar Latin *certānus, derived from Latin certus. === Adjective === certain m (oblique and nominative feminine singular certaine) certain; sure ==== Declension ==== ==== Synonyms ==== seur ==== Related terms ==== cert ==== Descendants ==== French: certain → Middle English: certeyn English: certain