Where does “certainity” come from?
certainity (English) comes from English certain, from Middle English certeyn, from Old French certain, from Vulgar Latin certanus, from Latin certus, from Proto-Indo-European krey- — to sift, separate, divide.
Ancestry of “certainity”, step by step
certainity traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English certain
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | certain | Sure, positive, not doubting; Determined;... |
| 2 | Middle English | certeyn | Specified, prescribed, fixed; A certain; Real,... |
| 3 | Old French | certain | certain; sure |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | certanus | certain |
| 5 | Latin | certus | certain; fixed, settled, firm; resolved,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | krey- | to sift, separate, divide |