cer ‧ tif ‧ i ‧ cate S3 W3 /səˈtɪfɪkət $ sər-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: certificat , from Late Latin , past participle of certificare ; ⇨ ↑ certify ]
1 . an official document that states that a fact or facts are true
birth/death/marriage certificate (=giving details of someone’s birth, death, or marriage)
2 . an official paper stating that you have completed a course of study or passed an examination:
a degree certificate
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + certificate
▪ a medical certificate
You can get a medical certificate that shows which vaccinations you've had.
▪ a birth certificate
In order to get a passport, you'll need your birth certificate.
▪ a marriage certificate
He found a copy of his parents' marriage certificate.
▪ a death certificate
According to his death certificate, he died aged 44.
▪ a share certificate (=proving what shares someone owns)
She kept official letters and share certificates in a locked case.
■ verbs
▪ issue a certificate (=officially provide one)
The certificate will be issued upon payment of the fee.