testify

[ tes-tuh-fahy ]
See synonyms for: testifytestifier on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),tes·ti·fied, tes·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to bear witness; give or afford evidence.

  2. Law. to give testimony under oath or solemn affirmation, usually in court.

  1. to make solemn declaration.

verb (used with object),tes·ti·fied, tes·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to bear witness to; affirm as fact or truth; attest.

  2. to give or afford evidence of in any manner.

  1. Law. to state or declare under oath or affirmation, usually in court.

  2. to declare, profess, or acknowledge openly.

Origin of testify

1
1350–1400; Middle English testifyen<Latin testificārī to bear witness, equivalent to testi(s) witness + -ficārī-fy

Other words for testify

Other words from testify

  • tes·ti·fi·er, noun
  • pre·tes·ti·fy, verb (used with object), pre·tes·ti·fied, pre·tes·ti·fy·ing.
  • re·tes·ti·fy, verb, re·tes·ti·fied, re·tes·ti·fy·ing.
  • un·tes·ti·fy·ing, adjective

Words Nearby testify

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use testify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for testify

testify

/ (ˈtɛstɪˌfaɪ) /


verb-fies, -fying or -fied
  1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to state (something) formally as a declaration of fact: I testify that I know nothing about him

  2. law to declare or give (evidence) under oath, esp in court

  1. (when intr, often foll by to) to be evidence (of); serve as witness (to): the money testified to his good faith

  2. (tr) to declare or acknowledge openly

Origin of testify

1
C14: from Latin testificārī, from testis witness

Derived forms of testify

  • testification, noun
  • testifier, noun

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