Where does “certitude” come from?

Certitude comes from Middle French certitude, from Latin certitudo (state of being certain), derived from the past participle certus of Latin cresco (to grow), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European krey- (to sift or grow).

certitude (English): Sureness, certainty; Something that is a...

Definitions

  1. Sureness, certainty; Something that is a...

Ancestry of “certitude”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchcertitudecertainty
2Latincertitūdōcertainty, certitude
3Latincertuscertain; fixed, settled, firm; resolved,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeankrey-to sift, separate, divide
Every word from Proto-Indo-European krey-Every word from Latin certusEvery word from Latin certitūdō
certitude — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer