What does "certainty" mean?

1. (the feeling of being sure) the feeling of being completely sure that something is true or will happen. 2. (a definite fact) something that is definitely true or that will definitely happen.

How do you use "certainty"?

Often used in the phrase 'with certainty' or 'a sense of certainty'. Commonly used with the definite article as 'a certainty'.

certainty

US //ˈsɝtənti// UK //sˈɜːtənti// cer·tain·ty

1 the feeling of being sure (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the feeling of being completely sure that something is true or will happen.

the psychological state of being confident or certain about a proposition or outcome.

Example

I can say with certainty that we will finish the project on time.

Example

Despite the conflicting evidence, the witness spoke with such absolute certainty that the jury found her testimony highly persuasive.

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'with certainty' or 'a sense of certainty'.
2 a definite fact (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

something that is definitely true or that will definitely happen.

an established fact or an event that is inevitable.

Example

It is a certainty that prices will rise again next year.

Example

In the volatile world of venture capital, there is no such thing as a mathematical certainty, regardless of how promising a startup appears.

Usage

Commonly used with the definite article as 'a certainty'.
- possibility
- gamble

Origin

From Middle English certeynte (“surety”), from Anglo-Norman certeinte, from Old French certeinete, from Vulgar Latin *certānitās, from Latin certus.