eyewitness

[ahy-wit-nis, ahy-wit-nis, 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

There had been a large police presence in Central Avenue, Farnworth, Bolton, from Thursday evening into Friday, and multiple eyewitnesses said they had seen at least one man and one woman being arrested there.

From BBC

One eyewitness, Eboni Watson, said the raid had left her neighbors “terrified.”

From Salon

Other eyewitnesses said that chaos ensued, as people scattered in panic or tried to save the lives of people trapped beneath the rubble.

From BBC

Shocked eyewitnesses have described the "horrendous" scene unfolding as a car and stabbing attack left two people dead and three others injured outside a synagogue in Manchester.

From BBC

An eyewitness called Gareth, who was driving his delivery van near the scene, told the BBC he saw a man "bleeding out on the floor".

From BBC

Related Words

• bystander 
• observer 
• witness