ascertain

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌæsɚˈteɪn/ UK /ˌæsəˈteɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #21046

Meanings

1

verb
to learn or discover with certainty

The detective ascertained that the suspect was at home on the night of the crime.
2

verb
to establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study

I ascertained the moth's growth cycle.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to establish after a... find

Word family

Forms ascertainedascertainingascertainmentascertains

Derived forms ascertainableascertainedlyascertainerascertainmentnonascertainingpreascertainreascertainunascertained

Etymology

From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.

*krey- Proto-Indo-European acerteynen Middle English acertener Old French certus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# ascertain

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌæsɚˈteɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌæsəˈteɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 21046

## Meanings
1. to learn or discover with certainty
2. to establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study

## Examples
- The detective ascertained that the suspect was at home on the night of the crime.
- I ascertained the moth's growth cycle.

## Derived Forms
- ascertainable
- ascertainedly
- ascertainer
- ascertainment
- nonascertaining
- preascertain
- reascertain
- unascertained

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *krey-
- Root: acerteynen
- Root: acertener
- Root: certus

## Etymology
From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.

## AI Etymology
ascertain is a verb meaning to learn or discover with certainty. From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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