sure

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ʃɔː(ɹ)/ UK /ʃoː/ See IPA manual

Freq #130

Meanings

1

adj
Feeling certain about something; having no doubt.

I'm sure I locked the door.
2

adj
Certain to happen or to be true; reliable.

This investment is a sure thing.
3

adv
Yes, certainly (used informally to agree).

"Can you help me?" "Sure!"

Word forms

The same word in different grammatical forms.

Adjective

Surer and surest are valid forms. More sure and most sure are also possible.

Base form: sure
I am sure of the answer.
Comparative: surer
I feel surer after checking my notes.
Superlative: surest
This is the surest way to avoid mistakes.

Use the comparative to compare two things or actions. Use the superlative for the highest or lowest degree in a group.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · feeling certain about... certain

2 adj · certain to happen or to be... reliable certain

3 adv · yes, certainly (used... surely

More ok yes

Word family

Derived forms cock-sureself-suresure-enoughsure-firesure-footedsure-footednesssure-handedsure-handedlysure-handednesssurely

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

sure thing
an outcome or opportunity considered certain to succeed

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (3)

See all

Simplified etymology

Sure entered Middle English from Old French sur, which came from Latin securus, “free from care.” The same Latin word is also the source of security, surety, insecure, and assure.

Etymology

From Middle English sure, seur, sur, from Middle French sur or Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “carefree”), from sē- (“apart”) + cūra (“care”) (compare Old English orsorg (“carefree”), from or- (“without”) + sorg (“care”)). See cure. Doublet of secure and the now obsolete or dialectal sicker (“certain, safe”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewis, ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), as well as Middle English siker (“sure, secure”) (from Old English sicor (“secure, sure”)) with which it was cognate.

sure Middle English sur Middle French seür Old French sēcūrus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# sure

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adj, adv
**IPA (US):** /ʃɔː(ɹ)/
**IPA (UK):** /ʃoː/
**Frequency rank:** 130

## Meanings
1. Feeling certain about something; having no doubt.
2. Certain to happen or to be true; reliable.
3. Yes, certainly (used informally to agree).

## Examples
- I'm sure I locked the door.
- This investment is a sure thing.
- "Can you help me?" "Sure!"

## Synonyms
- ok
- yes

## Derived Forms
- cock-sure
- self-sure
- sure-enough
- sure-fire
- sure-footed
- sure-footedness
- sure-handed
- sure-handedly
- sure-handedness
- surely

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: sure
- Root: sur
- Root: seür
- Root: sēcūrus

## Etymology
From Middle English sure, seur, sur, from Middle French sur or Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “carefree”), from sē- (“apart”) + cūra (“care”) (compare Old English orsorg (“carefree”), from or- (“without”) + sorg (“care”)). See cure. Doublet of secure and the now obsolete or dialectal sicker (“certain, safe”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewis, ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), as well as Middle English siker (“sure, secure”) (from Old English sicor (“secure, sure”)) with which it was cognate.

## AI Etymology
Sure is from Middle English sure, seur, sur, from Middle French sur or Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “carefree”), from sē- (“apart”) + cūra (“care”) (compare Old English orsorg (“carefree”), from or- (“without”) + sorg (“care”)). See cure. Doublet of secure and the now obsolete or dialectal sicker (“certain, safe”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewis, ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), as well as Middle English siker (“sure, secure”) (from Old English sicor (“secure, sure”)) with which it was cognate.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown