a certain
idiom
1
—used to refer to a quality that is noticed but that is difficult to explain or describe
She has a certain elegance about her.
The house has a certain charm.
2
formal
—used with the name of a person one does not know
In 1889, a certain Mr. Kelly made a large donation to the church.
Examples of a certain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This represents hundreds of hours of collaborative work by a sommelier team that includes Briana O’Connor, Sean Muramatsu, Jonathan Sanchez and Omar Lima, working together to find just exactly the right wine to pair with a certain cut of fish.
—
Jordan Michelman, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
The research has also suggested a role for a certain type of vitamin D (gamma-tocopherol) that appears to calm the eosinophil response to pollution.
—Linda Carroll, TIME, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain 
Jordan Michelman, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
The research has also suggested a role for a certain type of vitamin D (gamma-tocopherol) that appears to calm the eosinophil response to pollution.
—Linda Carroll, TIME, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a certain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.
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