Certainty
/ˈsɜːtənti/
nounIntermediateCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
The state of being free from doubt; sureness.
/ˈsɜːtənti/
nounneutralIntermediate
General
State of being sure
She spoke with certainty about her plans.
💡 Simply: Certainty is like knowing something for sure, without any doubt. It's the opposite of uncertainty. For example, if you know the sun will rise tomorrow, that's certainty.
👶 For kids: Knowing something is totally true!
More Examples
2
The evidence pointed to his guilt with a high degree of certainty.
How It's Used
Philosophy
"The philosopher questioned the possibility of absolute certainty."
Everyday conversation
"There's no certainty he'll arrive on time."
From Middle English certeynte, from Old French certeinete, from certain.
The word has been used since the Middle Ages, generally in the same sense as today, though with subtle variations in emphasis.
Memory tip
Think of 'certain' – if you are certain, you feel certainty.
Practice
Base: certain
certanitycertaintly
Usage
40%Spoken
60%Written