Where does “uncertain” come from?

Uncertain derives from English certain, which comes from Latin certus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ano-, meaning "to grow" or "increase," via Latin cresco.

uncertain (English): Not certain; unsure; Not known for certain;...

Definitions

  1. Not certain; unsure; Not known for certain;...

Ancestry of “uncertain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishun-not; absent; lacking; not; negative; contrary to...
2Middle Englishun-—
3Old Englishun-negation or absence of: un-, non-; bad; forms...
4Proto-West Germanicun-not, un-
5Proto-Germanicun-not, un-
6Proto-Indo-Europeann̥-not, un-
7Proto-Indo-Europeannenot

Words derived from “uncertain”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ne →Every word from Proto-Indo-European n̥- →Every word from English un- →