testament

noun

tes·​ta·​ment ˈte-stə-mənt 

1

a

: a tangible proof or tribute

b

: an expression of conviction : creed

2

a

: an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death

b

: will

3

a

capitalized : either of two main divisions of the Bible

b

archaic : a covenant between God and the human race

testamentary

ˌte-stə-ˈmen-tə-rē 

-ˈmen-trē

adjective

Synonyms

• attestation
• confirmation
• corroboration
• documentation
• evidence
• proof
• substantiation
• testimonial
• testimony
• validation
• voucher
• witness

Examples of testament in a Sentence

The success of the album, which is only available online, is a testament to the power of the Internet.

a person's last will and testament

Recent Examples on the Web

In this region, the symbiotic relationship between horse and rider is a testament to centuries-old tradition and mastery. —Marco Palermo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2024

There is no sense in which My Lady Jane is intended as an accurate historical portrayal of 16th century England; the deliberate anachronisms alone are a testament to that, not to mention the constant presence of magic. —Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024

Their shared son, Konstantin (Josh Heuston), is a testament to the strength of their bond. —EW.com, 23 Dec. 2024

The natural fit between Brown and Carpenter is a testament to the art of great casting, and Deb’s memorable cadence and energy seems innate to both actresses. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin testamentum covenant with God, holy scripture, from Latin, last will, from testari to be a witness, call to witness, make a will, from testis witness; akin to Latin tres three & to Latin stare to stand; from the witness's standing by as a third party in a litigation — more at three, stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Kids Definition

testament

noun

tes·​ta·​ment ˈtes-tə-mənt 

1

capitalized : either of the two chief parts of the Bible

2

a

: actual proof : evidence

the result is testament to her hard work

b

: an expression of belief : creed

3

: the legal instructions for the distribution of a person's belongings after death : will

testamentary

ˌtes-tə-ˈment-ə-rē 

-ˈmen-trē

adjective

Legal Definition

testament

noun

tes·​ta·​ment ˈtes-tə-mənt 

1

: an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death

a testament of property

2

: will

Note: A testament was formerly concerned specifically with personal property, as in the phrase last will and testament. Now a will covers both personal and real property and the terms will and testament are generally synonymous, but the phrase lives on.

testamentary

ˌtes-tə-ˈmen-tə-rē 

adjective

Etymology

Latin testamentum, from testari to call as a witness, make a will, from testis witness