Where does “certain” come from?
Certain comes from Middle English certein, from Old French certain, from Latin certus meaning "settled or decided," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱer- meaning "to grow or increase."
certain (English): Sure, positive, not doubting; Determined;...
Definitions
- Sure, positive, not doubting; Determined;...
Ancestry of “certain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | certeyn | Specified, prescribed, fixed; A certain; Real,... |
| 2 | Old French | certain | certain; sure |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | certanus | certain |
| 4 | Latin | certus | certain; fixed, settled, firm; resolved,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | krey- | to sift, separate, divide |
Words derived from “certain”