testament

[ tes-tuh-muhnt ]

noun

1. Law.
   1. a will, especially one that relates to the disposition of one's personal property.
   2. will ²( def 8 ).
2. either of the two major portions of the Bible: the Mosaic or old covenant or dispensation, or the Christian or new covenant or dispensation.
3. (initial capital letter) the New Testament, as distinct from the Old Testament.
4. (initial capital letter) a copy of the New Testament.
5. a covenant, especially between God and humans.

Testament

¹

/ ˈtɛstəmənt /

noun

1. either of the two main parts of the Bible; the Old Testament or the New Testament
2. the New Testament as distinct from the Old

testament

²

/ ˈtɛstəmənt /

noun

1. law a will setting out the disposition of personal property (esp in the phrase last will and testament )
2. a proof, attestation, or tribute

   his success was a testament to his skills

3. 1. a covenant instituted between God and man, esp the covenant of Moses or that instituted by Christ
   2. a copy of either the Old or the New Testament, or of the complete Bible

Derived Forms

• ˌtestaˈmental, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of testament¹

1250–1300; Middle English: will, covenant < Latin testāmentum, equivalent to testā ( rī ) to bear witness ( testate ) + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of testament¹

C14: from Latin: a will, from testārī to bear witness, from testis a witness

Example Sentences

It was a testament to both Logan Paul and KSI’s influence over their primarily young audience.

From BBC

Arkansas did not score any points from the 6-minute mark until the final 50 seconds of the second quarter, which was a testament to UCLA’s defensive dominance.

From Los Angeles Times

"The first one at Madison Square Garden was incredible and the second one, in front of 70,000, was just a testament to two incredible fighters - two legends of the sport."

From BBC

His "indefatigable courage stands as a testament to the principle of freedom of expression."

From BBC

Scotland actually handled the infamous 'Bomb Squad' well, as the seven forwards on the South African bench came on earlier than expected, almost testament to the hosts' work up front.

From BBC

Related Words

• proof
• testimonial
• testimony