Definitions for certain
ˈsɜr tncer·tain

Princeton's WordNet(2.83 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. certain(a)(adj)

   definite but not specified or identified

   "set aside a certain sum each week"; "to a certain degree"; "certain breeds do not make good pets"; "certain members have not paid their dues"; "a certain popular teacher"; "a certain Mrs. Jones"

2. certain(p), sure(adj)

   having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

   "felt certain of success"; "was sure (or certain) she had seen it"; "was very sure in his beliefs"; "sure of her friends"

3. certain(p)(adj)

   established beyond doubt or question; definitely known

   "what is certain is that every effect must have a cause"; "it is certain that they were on the bus"; "his fate is certain"; "the date for the invasion is certain"

4. certain, sure(adj)

   certain to occur; destined or inevitable

   "he was certain to fail"; "his fate is certain"; "In this life nothing is certain but death and taxes"- Benjamin Franklin; "he faced certain death"; "sudden but sure regret"; "he is sure to win"

5. sealed, certain(adj)

   established irrevocably

   "his fate is sealed"

6. certain, sure(adj)

   reliable in operation or effect

   "a quick and certain remedy"; "a sure way to distinguish the two"; "wood dust is a sure sign of termites"

7. certain, sure(adj)

   exercising or taking care great enough to bring assurance

   "be certain to disconnect the iron when you are through"; "be sure to lock the doors"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. certain(Adjective)

   Having been determined but unspecified. The quality of some particular subject or object which is known by the speaker to have been specifically singled out among similar entities of its class.

   I was certain of my decision.

   Etymology: From certain, certein, from certain, from unattested form , extended form of certus, of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere. Displaced native wis, iwis (from gewiss ġewis, ġewiss and alternative spelling sertane

2. certain(Adjective)

   Sure, positive, not doubting.

   I was certain of my decision.

   Etymology: From certain, certein, from certain, from unattested form , extended form of certus, of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere. Displaced native wis, iwis (from gewiss ġewis, ġewiss and alternative spelling sertane

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Certain(adj)

   assured in mind; having no doubts; free from suspicions concerning

2. Certain(adj)

   determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive

3. Certain(adj)

   not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact

4. Certain(adj)

   actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable

5. Certain(adj)

   unfailing; infallible

6. Certain(adj)

   fixed or stated; regular; determinate

7. Certain(adj)

   not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; -- sometimes used independenty as a noun, and meaning certain persons

8. Certain(noun)

   certainty

9. Certain(noun)

   a certain number or quantity

10. Certain(adverb)

    certainly

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Certain

   sėr′tān, or sėr′tin, adj. sure: not to be doubted: resolved: fixed: regular: inevitable: some: one.—advs. Cer′tainly, (Scot.) Cer′ty, Cer′tie.—ns. Cer′titude, Cer′tainty.—'A certain person,' implying some degree of contempt; A lady of a certain age, of an age best not stated accurately—at least no longer young.—For certain, assuredly.—Moral certainty, a conviction so justifiable that one is morally entitled to act on it. [O. Fr.,—L. certus—cern-ĕre, to decide.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. certain

   To feel and know with our conscience, consciousness, heart, mind, subconscious, spirit and soul.

   They both are certain they are getting married to each other.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 22, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'certain' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #419

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'certain' in Written Corpus Frequency: #518

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'certain' in Adjectives Frequency: #45

Anagrams for certain »

1. tercian

2. tacrine

How to pronounce certain?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say certain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of certain in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of certain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of certain in a Sentence

1. John Delury:

   America has played a certain role in Asia since 1945 ... that role has in the end of the day been a stabilizer, that's what being undermined here with a president who thrives on unpredictability ... it's going to eat away at the fundamental credibility of the US role in Asia.

2. Nelson Smith:

   There has always been communication between lenders and authorizers generally, we want it to be more fruitful and more efficient. Some of the stories about lender-authorizer communications betray a certain informality. While you want a friendly open relationship you need to know what the official record is saying and what decisions the authorizing body is making.

3. John Von Neumann:

   The sciences do not try to explain, they hardly even try to interpret, they mainly make models. By a model is meant a mathematical construct which, with the addition of certain verbal interpretations, describes observed phenomena. The justification of such a mathematical construct is solely and precisely that it is expected to work.

4. Ray Steiber:

   When I taught my children how to drive, there were certain aspects of driving that they needed to learn, and one of them was driving at night.

5. Rob Goldman:

   Simply showing certain job ads to different age groups on services like Facebook or Google may not in itself be discriminatory — just as it can be OK to run employment ads in magazines and on TV shows targeted at younger or older people, what matters is that marketing is broadly based and inclusive, not simply focused on a particular age group.

Images & Illustrations of certain

Popularity rank by frequency of use