certificate

1.

/sərˈtɪfɪkət/

a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts

2.

/sərˈtɪfɪˌkeɪt/

authorize by a document attesting to the truth of facts

Other forms: certificates; certificated; certificating

A certificate is a paper or document that proves some fact. Your most prized possession might be the certificate you got when you became a black belt in karate.

Your fastidious friend might need to check the health inspection certificate before she'll agree to eat in a restaurant, and you'll need a copy of your birth certificate before you can apply for a passport. A certificate certifies or documents the fact that you are who you say you are, that you're licensed to drive, or authorized to practice dentistry, for example. You can trace the word certificate back to the Latin certus, "sure, fixed, settled."

Definitions of certificate (/sərˈtɪfɪkət/)

1. noun

   a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts
   synonyms: certification, credential, credentials

   types:

   certificate of incorporation

   state approval of the articles of incorporation of a corporation

   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

   HND, Higher National Diploma

   a diploma given for vocational training that prepares the student for a career in a particular area; good students may progress to a course leading to a degree

   type of:

   document, papers, written document

   writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
2. noun

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

   types:

   agency security, government security

   a security issued by United States government agencies or the Farm Credit System

   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

   registered security

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

   scrip

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

   stock, stock certificate

   a certificate documenting the shareholder's ownership in the corporation

   tax-exempt, tax-exempt security

   a security that is not subject to taxation

   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

   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

   partnership certificate

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

   proprietorship certificate

   a certificate showing who is responsible in an individually owned business

   convertible, convertible security

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

   letter security

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

   listed security

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

   OTC security, over the counter security, unlisted security

   a security traded in the over-the-counter market

   bond issue

   bonds sold by a corporation or government agency at a particular time and identifiable by date of maturity

   convertible bond

   a bond that can be converted to other securities under certain conditions

   corporate bond

   a bond issued by a corporation; carries no claim to ownership and pays no dividends but payments to bondholders have priority over payments to stockholders

   bearer bond, coupon bond

   a bond issued with detachable coupons that must be presented to the issuer for interest payments

   government bond

   a bond that is an IOU of the United States Treasury; considered the safest security in the investment world

   high-yield bond, junk bond

   a (speculative) bond with a credit rating of BB or lower; issued for leveraged buyouts and other takeovers by companies with questionable credit

   municipal bond

   a bond issued by a state or local government

   noncallable bond

   a bond containing a provision that the holder cannot redeem the security before a specific date (usually at maturity)

   performance bond, surety bond

   a bond given to protect the recipient against loss in case the terms of a contract are not filled; a surety company assumes liability for nonperformance

   post-obit bond

   a bond made by a reversioner to secure a loan; payable out of his reversion

   registered bond

   a bond whose owner is recorded on the books of the issuer; can be transferred to another owner only when endorsed by the registered owner

   revenue bond

   a bond issued by an agency that is commissioned to finance public works; revenue from the public property is used to pay off the bond

   secured bond

   a bond that is back by collateral

   debenture, debenture bond, unsecured bond

   the ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future

   zero coupon bond, zero-coupon bond

   a bond that is issued at a deep discount from its value at maturity and pays no interest during the life of the bond; the commonest form of zero-coupon security

   share

   any of the equal portions into which the capital stock of a corporation is divided and ownership of which is evidenced by a stock certificate

   Premium Bond

   a government bond that bears no interest or capital gains but enters the holder into lotteries

   letter stock

   stock that has not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and cannot be sold to the general public

   letter bond

   a bond that has not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and cannot be sold to the general public

   OTC stock, over the counter stock, unlisted stock

   stock that is not listed and traded on an organized exchange

   type of:

   instrument, legal document, legal instrument, official document

   (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right