witness

[ wit-nis ]

/ ˈwɪt nɪs /

See synonyms for: witness / witnessed / witnesses / witnessing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception: to witness an accident.

to be present at (an occurrence) as a formal witness, spectator, bystander, etc.: She witnessed our wedding.

to bear witness to; testify to; give or afford evidence of.

to attest by one's signature: He witnessed her will.

verb (used without object)

to bear witness; testify; give or afford evidence.

noun

an individual who, being present, personally sees or perceives a thing; a beholder, spectator, or eyewitness.

a person or thing that affords evidence.

a person who gives testimony, as in a court of law.

a person who signs a document attesting the genuineness of its execution.

testimony or evidence: to bear witness to her suffering.

(initial capital letter) a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

SYNONYMS FOR witness

1 perceive, watch, mark, notice, note.

10 proof, confirmation, substantiation.

See synonyms for witness on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of witness

First recorded before 950; (noun) Middle English, Old English witnes originally, “knowledge, understanding”; see wit¹, -ness; (verb) Middle English, derivative of the noun

synonym study for witness

1. See observe.

OTHER WORDS FROM witness

wit·ness·a·ble, adjectivewit·ness·er, nounpre·wit·ness, noun, verb (used with object)self-witness, noun

self-witnessed, adjectivewell-witnessed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

British Dictionary definitions for witness

witness

/ (ˈwɪtnɪs) /

noun

a person who has seen or can give first-hand evidence of some event

a person or thing giving or serving as evidence

a person who testifies, esp in a court of law, to events or facts within his own knowledge

a person who attests to the genuineness of a document, signature, etc, by adding his own signature

bear witness

to give written or oral testimony
to be evidence or proof ofRelated adjective: testimonial

verb

(tr) to see, be present at, or know at first hand

to give or serve as evidence (of)

(tr) to be the scene or setting ofthis field has witnessed a battle

(intr) to testify, esp in a court of law, to events within a person's own knowledge

(tr) to attest to the genuineness of (a document, signature, etc) by adding one's own signature

Derived forms of witness

witnessable, adjectivewitnesser, noun

Word Origin for witness

Old English witnes (meaning both testimony and witness), from witan to know, wit ² + -ness; related to Old Norse vitni

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

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WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

witness

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

SYNONYMS FOR witness

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of witness

synonym study for witness

OTHER WORDS FROM witness

British Dictionary definitions for witness

noun

verb

Derived forms of witness

Word Origin for witness

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

witness

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

SYNONYMS FOR witness

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of witness

synonym study for witness

OTHER WORDS FROM witness

Words related to witness

British Dictionary definitions for witness

noun

verb

Derived forms of witness

Word Origin for witness