Testify Comes From the Word for a Witness
To testify is to give evidence. The Latin testis means a witness, and it produced testimony, testament and protest.
To testify is to give evidence, usually under oath. The Latin *testis* means a witness, and the family is large: *testimony*, *testament*, *attest*, *contest* and *protest* all involve bearing witness to something. A last will and testament is a witnessed statement of intention.
- To give evidence. *She testified for two hours.*
- To be evidence of. *The scars testify to the fire.*
- Testimony — the evidence given. *Sworn testimony.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | testify | Testify in court. |
| Past | testified | He testified last week. |
| Noun | testimony | Expert testimony. |
| Noun | testament | A last testament. |
| Verb | attest | Attest to the facts. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He refused to testify.Court.
- The building testifies to their ambition.Figurative: stands as evidence.
- A testament to years of work.Meaning proof.
The witness family
- Testify — bear witness
- Testimony — what a witness says
- Testament — a witnessed declaration, hence a will
- Attest — confirm as a witness
- Contest — originally to call witnesses against
From Latin *testificari*, from *testis*, witness, and *facere*, to make. The Roman *testis* was a third party standing beside two disputing sides.
Testify or give evidence?
They mean the same. British courts more often say give evidence; testify is standard in American usage.
Why is a will called a testament?
Because it is a witnessed declaration of intention. The phrase *last will and testament* pairs an English word with its Latin equivalent.