Ywis

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Certainly or assuredly, used to express confidence in a statement or belief
2. In truth or for certain, an archaic adverb affirming the truth of what is said
3. Surely or undoubtedly, an old English word meaning without doubt or question

Etymology: The word began as an Old English adjective, "gewis," meaning "certain" or "sure," which is related to modern German "gewiss." Over the Middle English period it was used mostly as an adverb meaning "certainly" or "indeed," and the initial "y-" is a survival of the Old English "ge-" prefix. Because the spelling could be split as "I wis," it was often read as "I know," using the old verb "wis" (to know). That reading is a folk reinterpretation rather than the word's actual structure, but it helped the word survive in poetry and archaic speech long after everyday use had faded.