Etymology of the English word ascertain
the English word
ascertainderived from the Old French word
acertenerusing the French prefix
a-derived from the Latin word
ad (to; near; to; to; to; near)
derived from the Old French word
certainderived from the Vulgar Latin root
*certanusderived from the Latin word
certus (fixed, settled, firm)
derived from the Medieval Latin word
cernere (sift, separate, distinguish)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*krei-Date
The earliest known usage of ascertain in English dates from the 15th century.
Derivations in English
ascertained,
ascertainingUsage
Word found in Modern English
