English → Latin
“sure” in Latin
certuscertain; fixed, settled, firm; resolved, determinedfirmusstrong, powerful; stable, firm; faithful, steadfast, truestabilisfirm, steadfast, steady, sure, stable, stationary (that stands firm); established, enduring, durable, immutable, lastingcōnstōto stand together; to stand still; to remain the same; stand firm; to agree, correspond, fitfīdustrusty, trustworthy, dependable, credible; loyal, faithful; steadfaststatusstate, status, condition; position, place; rank, statusreorto reckon, calculate; to think, consider, deem, judge, believe, suppose, suspect, imaginefīgōto fasten, fix; to transfix, pierce; to erect, post, set upliquidusliquid, fluid, flowing; clear, transparent, limpid; without interruption, smooth, fluid, flowingproficīscorto set out, depart, leave
The English word sure itself goes back to Latin cūra, through sēcūrus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
sure
certus: firmus: stabilis: constans: fidus. (The words are found in this connection and order.) certus et constans: firmus et constans: status: ratus: (The words are found in this connection and order.) ratus et certus: ratus atque firmus: constans et ratus: stabilis, fixus, ratus: certus, ratus, firmus, fixus. SYN. and PHR. in CERTAIN.] SURELY,
With certainty, certo: certe (certo, objective; certe, subjective. Certo rarely occurs in Cic., except in certo scire, which is more common than certe scire): liquido (clearly, when the statement is asserted to be manifestly true): haud dubie: sine ulla dubitatione: profecto (“assuredly”: a strong assertion that the thing is so: also, “surely,” “doubtless,” in assumptions): nae (= profecto, stands ahvays at the beginning of a sentence, and mostly before personal pronouns): sane (in the judgement of every sound mind): nimirum (of an assertion which it would be strange if you did not grant: e.g., nimirum recte: omnibus regibus... hunc regem nimirum anteponetis, Cic.). I am surely persuaded, persuasum est mihi; persuasi mihi. I shall surely do, etc., certum est mihi (aliquid facere); certum est deliberatumque; stat sententia; statutum habeo: ☞ “Surely” may be often translated by non dubito, quin, etc.; non dubium est (or videtur esse) quin. “This may surely be accomplished,” non dubito, quin hoc fieri possit, etc. It appeared from this letter that he would surely arrive before that day, prorsus ex his litteris non videbatur esse dubium, quin ante eam diem venturus esset (Cic.).
In answers, certe (certainly): vero (assuredly; an emphatic assent): recte (a polite form of assent): ita: ita est: sic est (just so): ita plane (exactly so; just so): etiam: sane: sane quidem (concessive forms).
At least, at all events, saltem: certe: certe quidem: sometimes tamen. If not... yet surely, si non... at saltem: si non... certe.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for sure?
- The usual Latin words for “sure” are certus, firmus, stabilis; also cōnstō, fīdus, status. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.