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

In those cases both her handling of evidence and testimony are being looked at.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

In testimony to a Clark County grand jury, Lee said that the Crips and Mob Piru Bloods were tied to rival record labels Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

The Fed already reports to Congress semiannually through its chairman, as well as through other testimony and submissions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

But testimony from surviving members of the 1996 expedition and the location of the last radio contact with the climbers have now led authorities to believe the remains belong to Morup.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

In English courts Evidence-Indices is considered only in so far as presented via testimony or documents, as part of Evidence-Legal.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

“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

The Mormon Will, however, received the most thorough scrutiny, enduring a seven-month jury trial and dueling testimonies by forensic experts until it was eventually declared a forgery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 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

RTÉ reported Laure Zoya saying how videos and witness testimonies have deeply shocked and traumatised the Congolese, African, and black communities in Ireland and internationally.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

The congregation would shout “Alleluia!” and other testimonies would follow.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

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