eyewitness

[ noun ahy-wit-nis, ahy-wit-nis; verb ahy-wit-nis ]

noun

1. a person who actually sees some act, occurrence, or thing and can give a firsthand account of it:

   There were two eyewitnesses to the murder.

verb (used with object)

1. to view with one's own eyes:

   to eyewitness a murder.

eyewitness

/ ˈaɪˌwɪtnɪs /

noun

1. 1. a person present at an event who can describe what happened
   2. ( as modifier )

      an eyewitness account

Word History and Origins

Origin of eyewitness¹

First recorded in 1530–40; eye + witness

Example Sentences

An eyewitness spotted Boever walking along the north shoulder shortly before the crash.

From The Daily Beast

What triggered the deadly flood has been a mystery — but after amassing evidence from satellite images, seismic records and eyewitness accounts, a team of over 50 scientists now say they have solved the case.

From Science News

She returned to old crime scenes on her nights and weekends to double-check eyewitness accounts, sometimes bringing her spouse along for safety.

From Washington Post

After an image of the incident surfaced, however, along with an eyewitness allegation that the crew had illegally fed the animals, the backlash was swift.

From Outside Online

Otherwise, we might not fully believe the eyewitnesses who still describe Bad Brains as the greatest live band to ever visit our plane.

From Washington Post

Obama said, through laughter, according to an eyewitness report of the meeting in The Telegraph.

From The Daily Beast

Mr Obama said, through laughter, according to an eyewitness report of the meeting in The Telegraph.

From The Daily Beast

The framing was that I had the power to stop a criminal by putting him behind bars through direct eyewitness testimony.

From The Daily Beast

One eyewitness reported seeing the police force students out of another bus at gunpoint.

From The Daily Beast

With them go our only eyewitness accounts of the real effects of nuclear war.

From The Daily Beast

Then, having finished the eyewitness part of his task, he recalled a section of road over which he had passed, and pushed.

From Project Gutenberg

Never mind; let us talk of cut and thrust, as though I were an eyewitness.

From Project Gutenberg

"A grand spectacle for an unconcerned eyewitness," said an officer to his neighbor.

From Project Gutenberg

A calmer eyewitness quite absolves the Bude men from all blame—to render more help had been impossible.

From Project Gutenberg

Calamities of which he himself was at once an eyewitness and a most faithful recorder.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bystander
• observer
• witness