Ascertain
/ˌæsərˈteɪn/noun
To find out or become sure of something.
Did you know?Its core comes from Latin certus, “sure” or “fixed,” a root that also gave us words tied to certainty, decision, and even the idea of being spiritually or legally “settled.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱer-
“to decide, discern, or separate”
Latin
Latin
certus
“sure, settled, determined”
Old French
Old French
acertener
“to make certain; to assure”
Middle English
English
ascertenen
“to make sure, confirm”
Modern English
English
ascertain
“to find out or determine with confidence”