Where does “certainty” come from?
Certainty comes from Middle English certeynte, from Anglo-Norman certeinte, from Old French certeinete, from Vulgar Latin certanitas, from Latin certus meaning decided or settled, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱer- meaning to grow or increase.
certainty (English): The state of being certain; An instance of being...
Definitions
- The state of being certain; An instance of being...
Ancestry of “certainty”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | certeynte | surety |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | certeinte | — |
| 3 | Old French | certeinete | — |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | certanitas | — |
| 5 | Latin | certus | certain; fixed, settled, firm; resolved,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | krey- | to sift, separate, divide |