Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
CERTAIN
I. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *certanus, from Latin certus, from past participle of cernere to sift, discern, decide; akin to Greek krinein to separate, decide, judge, Old Irish criathar sieve
Date: 13th century
fixed , settled , of a specific but unspecified character, quantity, or degree ,
3. dependable , reliable , known or proved to be true ; indisputable ,
4. inevitable , incapable of failing ; destined, assured in mind or action , see: sure
II. pro noun , plural in construction
Date: 15th century
certain ones