# sure

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ʃɔː(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #202

## Definitions
1. Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.
2. Certain in one's knowledge or belief.
3. Certain to act or be a specified way.
4. Free from danger; safe; secure.
5. Betrothed; engaged to marry.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **SUV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-suv)
- **Sus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-sus)
- **surf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surf)
- **SUVs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-suvs)
- **surge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surge)
- **swore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-swore)
- **Susie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-susie)
- **sutra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-sutra)
- **surly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surly)
- **Surya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surya)
- **Suzie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-suzie)
- **surry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surry)
- **survey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-survey)
- **surely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surely)
- **Surrey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surrey)
- **surfer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surfer)
- **suture** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-suture)
- **surged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surged)
- **surety** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sure-vs-surety)
- **se** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/se-vs-sure)

## Common misspellings (5)
`srue`, `ssure`, `suer`, `surre`, `usre`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sure