testament
testament
American
[tes-tuh-muhnt]
/ ˈtɛs tə mənt /
noun
-
testaments
plural
-
Law.
-
either of the two major portions of the Bible: the Mosaic or old covenant or dispensation, or the Christian or new covenant or dispensation.
-
(initial capital letter) the New Testament, as distinct from the Old Testament.
-
(initial capital letter) a copy of the New Testament.
-
a covenant, especially between God and humans.
testament
1
British
/ ˈtɛstəmənt /
noun
-
law a will setting out the disposition of personal property (esp in the phrase last will and testament )
-
a proof, attestation, or tribute
his success was a testament to his skills
-
-
a covenant instituted between God and man, esp the covenant of Moses or that instituted by Christ
-
a copy of either the Old or the New Testament, or of the complete Bible
-
Testament
2
British
/ ˈtɛstəmənt /
noun
-
either of the two main parts of the Bible; the Old Testament or the New Testament
-
the New Testament as distinct from the Old
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of testament
1250–1300; Middle English: will, covenant < Latin testāmentum, equivalent to testā ( rī ) to bear witness ( see testate) + -mentum -ment
Explanation
A testament is a statement of belief. The most famous testaments are the two parts of the Christian Bible: the Old and New Testaments. A testament states a belief or gives some kind of direction. The document people leave behind at death is known as the "last will and testament." It gives lawyers directions for dividing their possessions among family and friends. Also, you could say that an A in math class is a testament to your math skills. If you give to charity, that’s a testament to your character. Any testament is a strong statement of some kind.
Vocabulary lists containing testament
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Jose Alvarez Picornell, from the University of Liverpool, said the success of the treatment was "a testament to the power of collaboration".
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Nooks Chief Executive Daniel Lee says the business trip was a testament to Kusmirek’s ability but also indicative of a broader shift in how companies view internships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
It’s testament to this idea about opening up your creative world; about trying something and taking a risk and not being scared to make an opportunity work, about accepting ideas for what they are.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
The Prince George’s County moratorium is thus a testament to how community resistance can hold elected officials to account—but also a note of caution.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
Their long-term existence has not damaged the forest, Meggers told me, a testament to slash-and-burn’s power to keep human groups sustainably within the rigid ecological limits of the tropics.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
How many malodorously toxic episodes does that make toward the seven plagues in the Old Testament?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
"Let me say this plainly: this is not a golden calf," he said later that night on X, referring to the Old Testament idol that famously made Moses irate after he received the Commandments.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
God’s promise to Noah after the Flood, an Old Testament blessing, joins with hints of the georgic and pastoral poetry of Horace and Virgil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
These portrayals were part of an even longer history of depicting wives as nags and harridans, a narrative device that can be found in the Old Testament.
From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2026
To help their own chances, Lefty put away his French phrase book and began memorizing four lines of the King James New Testament.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Their aesthetic qualities come at a significant cost, but they stand as testaments to an artistic genius.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026
Borglum believed the American political system was the apotheosis of human civilization, and he wanted his sculpture to stand alongside the Parthenon and pyramids as testaments to grand civilizations and cultures.
From Slate ● Mar. 13, 2025
These ancient structures, dating from 4,000 to 2,000 BCE, stand as enduring testaments to early human culture and belief systems.
From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2024
The Indian school cemeteries and unmarked graves that Biden mentioned are testaments to the shame and tragedy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 30, 2024
Ninthly—I hereby declare this to be my last will and testament, and revoke all other wills and testaments of a date prior to this.
From The Baptist Magazine, Vol. 27, January, 1835 by George Wightman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
