sure
/ʃʊər/
adjective
Origin
Latin
securus — carefree, safe, or secure
Overview
Meaning Now
- Confident in what one thinks or knows; convinced.
- Reliable, dependable, or certain to occur.
- Used as an adverb to express agreement or emphasis.
Literal older meaning
secure, safe, or free from danger
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
sur
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word entered English via Anglo-Norman/Old French as a doublet of 'secure', which was later borrowed directly from Latin. Over time, 'sure' diverged to take on senses of certainty and conviction, while 'secure' retained closer ties to the original Latin sense of being free from danger.
Evolution
- Latin
securus
“free from care, safe”
Compound of se- (without) + cura (care).
- Old French
sur
“safe, certain”
Apocope of the final vowel and contraction.
- Middle English
sur / sure
“certain, reliable”
Borrowed into English during the 13th century.
Connections
Word parts
sure
root
certain, secure
Related across languages
French
sûr
certain, safe
Spanish
seguro
safe, certain
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Related to sure
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.