Main Entry: as·cer·tain

Pronunciation: \ˌa-sər-ˈtān\

Function: transitive verb

Etymology: Middle English acertainen to inform, give assurance to, from Anglo-French acerteiner, from a- (from Latin ad-) + certein, certain certain

Date: 15th century

1 archaic : to make certain, exact, or precise
2 : to find out or learn with certainty

synonyms see discover

— as·cer·tain·able \-ˈtā-nə-bəl\ adjective

— as·cer·tain·ment \-ˈtān-mənt\ noun