CERTIFICATE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does certificate mean? 

• CERTIFICATE (noun)
  The noun CERTIFICATE has 2 senses:

1. a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts

2. a formal declaration that documents a fact of relevance to finance and investment; the holder has a right to receive interest or dividends

  Familiarity information: CERTIFICATE used as a noun is rare.

• CERTIFICATE (verb)
  The verb CERTIFICATE has 2 senses:

1. present someone with a certificate

2. authorize by certificate

  Familiarity information: CERTIFICATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CERTIFICATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

certificate; certification; credential; credentials

Hypernyms ("certificate" is a kind of...):

document; papers; written document (writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "certificate"):

birth certificate (a copy of the official document giving details of a person's birth)

diploma; sheepskin (a document certifying the successful completion of a course of study)

commission; military commission (an official document issued by a government and conferring on the recipient the rank of an officer in the armed forces)

bill of health (a certificate saying that a departing ship's company is healthy (to be presented at the next port of arrival))

registration (a document certifying an act of registering)

teacher's certificate; teaching certificate (a certificate saying that the holder is qualified to teach in the public schools)

probate; probate will (a judicial certificate saying that a will is genuine and conferring on the executors the power to administer the estate)

certificate of incorporation (state approval of the articles of incorporation of a corporation)

Derivation:

certificate (authorize by certificate)

certificate (present someone with a certificate)

certify (guarantee as meeting a certain standard)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A formal declaration that documents a fact of relevance to finance and investment; the holder has a right to receive interest or dividends

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Synonyms:

certificate; security

Context example:

he held several valuable securities

Hypernyms ("certificate" is a kind of...):

instrument; legal document; legal instrument; official document ((law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "certificate"):

OTC security; over the counter security; unlisted security (a security traded in the over-the-counter market)

listed security (a security that has been accepted for trading by one of the organized and registered securities exchanges in the US)

letter security (a stock or bond that is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and cannot be sold in the public market)

convertible; convertible security (a corporate security (usually bonds or preferred stock) that can be exchanged for another form of security (usually common stock))

proprietorship certificate (a certificate showing who is responsible in an individually owned business)

partnership certificate (a certificate showing the interests of all parties in a business partnership)

zero-coupon security; zero coupon security (a security that makes no interest payments but instead is sold at a deep discount from its face value)

bond; bond certificate (a certificate of debt (usually interest-bearing or discounted) that is issued by a government or corporation in order to raise money; the issuer is required to pay a fixed sum annually until maturity and then a fixed sum to repay the principal)

tax-exempt; tax-exempt security (a security that is not subject to taxation)

stock; stock certificate (a certificate documenting the shareholder's ownership in the corporation)

scrip (a certificate whose value is recognized by the payer and payee; scrip is not currency but may be convertible into currency)

registered security (a security whose owner's name is recorded on the books of the issuer (or issuer's agent))

mortgage-backed security (a security created when a group of mortgages are gathered together and bonds are sold to other institutions or the public; investors receive a portion of the interest payments on the mortgages as well as the principal payments; usually guaranteed by the government)

agency security; government security (a security issued by United States government agencies or the Farm Credit System)

Derivation:

certificate (authorize by certificate)

certificate (present someone with a certificate)

certify (guarantee payment on; of checks)

• CERTIFICATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they certificate ... he / she / it certificates   
Past simple: certificated   
Past participle: certificated   
-ing form: certificating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Present someone with a certificate

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "certificate" is one way to...):

award; present (give, especially as an honor or reward)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

certificate (a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts)

certificate (a formal declaration that documents a fact of relevance to finance and investment; the holder has a right to receive interest or dividends)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Authorize by certificate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "certificate" is one way to...):

authorise; authorize; clear; pass (grant authorization or clearance for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

certificate (a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts)

certificate (a formal declaration that documents a fact of relevance to finance and investment; the holder has a right to receive interest or dividends)

 Context examples 

Could they have forged a medical certificate?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Having copies of medical records and death certificates is also helpful.

(Family History, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A speech language pathologist who is providing services in a mentored, professional training setting prior to receiving a certificate of clinical competence.

(Clinical Fellow - Speech Language Pathologist, NCI Thesaurus)

You’d never get your certificate at this rate.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I came to speak about the certificate of death.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A speech language pathologist who has received a certificate of clinical competence.

(Certificate of Clinical Competence - Speech Language Pathologist, NCI Thesaurus)

I have seen his death certificate.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It will be a wonderful birthday certificate from a loving universe.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

No legal papers or certificates?

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On the third day she died—certificate says senile decay—but that’s only the doctor’s opinion, and of course you know better.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)