certainly

English Online Dictionary. What means certainly‎? What does certainly mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English certeynly; equivalent to certain +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɜːtn̩li/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈsɝtn̩li/, [ˈsɝʔn̩li]

Adverb

certainly (comparative more certainly or (rare, obsolete) certainlier, superlative most certainly or (rare, obsolete) certainliest)

1. In a way which is certain; with certainty.
   • , I.iii.2.2:

     he verily thought he had young live frogs in his belly, qui vivebant ex alimento suo, that lived by his nourishment, and was so certainly persuaded of it, that for many years following he could not be rectified in his conceit.
2. Without doubt, surely.
3. An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.

Synonyms

• (with certainty): absolutely, beyond doubt, indubitably, sure thing, undoubtedly, wis (obsolete), without a doubt
• (without doubt): definitely, doubtlessly, in fact, indeed, indisputably, indubitably, no doubt, really, sure, surely, truly, undoubtedly, unquestionably, wis (obsolete), without a doubt
• (emphatic affirmative): damn right, damn straight, fo shizzle, for sure, oh yeah, wye aye (dialect)

Coordinate terms

• maybe, possibly, arguably, questionably, probably, perhaps

Derived terms

• soitenly

Translations

References

• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “certainly”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “certainly”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.