testimony

American  

[tes-tuh-moh-nee, -muh-nee] / ˈtɛs təˌmoʊ ni, -mə ni /

noun

• testimonies
  plural

1. Law. the statement or declaration of a witness under oath or affirmation, usually in court.

   Synonyms:

   attestation, deposition

2. evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof.

   Synonyms:

   corroboration

3. open declaration or profession, as of faith.

   Synonyms:

   affirmation

4. Usually testimonies. the precepts of God.

5. the Decalogue as inscribed on the two tablets of the law, or the ark in which the tablets were kept. Exodus 16:34; 25:16.

6. Archaic. a declaration of disapproval; protest.

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testimony British  

/ ˈtɛstɪmənɪ /

noun

1. a declaration of truth or fact

2. law evidence given by a witness, esp orally in court under oath or affirmation

3. evidence testifying to something

   her success was a testimony to her good luck

4. Old Testament

   1. the Ten Commandments, as inscribed on the two stone tables

   2. the Ark of the Covenant as the receptacle of these (Exodus 25:16; 16:34)

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Synonym Usage

See evidence.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pretestimony
  noun
• retestimony
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• testimonies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of testimony

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin testimōnium, equivalent to testi(s) “witness” + -mōnium noun suffix; see -mony

Explanation

When you give testimony you are telling what you saw or what you know. Your testimony that your hand was not in the cookie jar goes against the testimony of several eyewitnesses. The Latin root for testimony is testis, meaning “ witness.” “Eye witness testimony” is a phrase you will hear often in legal discussions. An object can also give testimony, without speaking of course: "The statue they built of you outside the bowling alley offers testimony to your greatness."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

testimony testimonies

Bonta said it was telling that Meta decided to settle midway through testimony from Adam Mosseri, who oversees Instagram at Meta -- and before CEO Mark Zuckerberg was scheduled to take the stand.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Evidence commonly used to support a malpractice claim includes emails and other written communications, court records, billing records, the attorney’s case file and expert testimony from another lawyer, Kassab adds.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

During the trial a police officer who interviewed one of Liu's female followers gave testimony.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

At every turn, Ward credited the state’s expert testimony and discounted the testimony of defense witnesses and experts.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

With testimony distinguished from authority, what was previously authority became, in Glanvill’s words, simply ‘old and useless luggage’.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Central to the case are testimonies by Davis in the formerly secret 2008 police interview and, later, in a 2019 memoir he co-authored called Compton Street Legend.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

In testimonies from members, nurses reported how they had been left dripping in sweat from "head to toe" while seeing patients.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

“Ever since the mural was put up, I look at it out of pure joy,” Leventhal, a senior director at the USC Shoah Foundation, which archives testimonies of Holocaust survivors, told the Times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Campaigners are gathering data and testimonies until July, and plan to file a legal case seeking stronger heat protections and a more effective action plan.

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

Mr. Briggs has already suggested that the major reason for the testimonies of Mr. Evans and Osvaldo Cruz was self- interest .

From "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers

Related Words

• affidavit
• data
• demonstration
• deposition
• documentation
• evidence
• information
• statement
• testament
• witness