certify
/ˈsɝ.tɪ.faɪ/verb
certify is spelled C-E-R-T-I-F-Y: 7 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 26,092nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, certify means “To attest to (a fact) as the truth” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in certify?
| Letters | 7: C-E-R-T-I-F-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.2 times per million words; the 26,092nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is certify?
Certify appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 26,092nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce certify?
- UK /ˈsɜː.tɪ.faɪ/
- US /ˈsɝ.tɪ.faɪ/
- US [ˈsɝ.ɾɪ.faɪ]
Certify has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-certify.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with certify?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as certify (/ɜɹtɪfaɪ/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: rectify.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of certify
- certifies present, singular, he/she/it
- certifying participle, present
- certified participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does certify mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To attest to (a fact) as the truth.
- 2
To authenticate or verify in writing.
- 3
To attest that a product, service, organization, or person has met an official standard.
These blankets have been certified as fireproof.
- 4
archaicTo inform; to tell (a person) that something is true.
- 5
archaicTo assure (oneself) of something; to ascertain.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Certify in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to attest as to:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | certifier |
| German | zertifizieren |
| Portuguese | certificar |
| Spanish | certificar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does certify come from?
From Old French certefier (“confirm, assure, make certain”). Compare French certifier.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).