testimonial

1 of 2

noun

tes·​ti·​mo·​ni·​al ˌte-stə-ˈmō-nē-əl 

-nyəl

1

a

: a statement testifying to benefits received

b

: a character reference : letter of recommendation

2

: an expression of appreciation : tribute

3

: evidence, testimony

testimonial

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or constituting testimony

2

: expressive of appreciation or esteem

a testimonial dinner

Did you know?

In 1639, Scottish poet William Drummond responded to the politics of his day with a cheeky set of new laws, including one stipulating that "no man wear a ... periwig, unless he have a testimonial from a town-clerk, that he is either bald, sickly, or asham'd of white hairs." Testimonials take different forms, but always, like in Drummond's facetious law, they provide affirmation or evidence. (Testimonial traces to Latin testimonium, meaning "evidence" or "witness.") In the 19th century, testimonial developed a new use, referring to a tribute—that is, a gift presented as a public expression of appreciation. Today, testimonial is most often used to refer to a statement—such as one posted on any number of websites devoted to consumer reviews—that endorses a product or service.

Synonyms

Noun

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

Examples of testimonial in a Sentence

Noun

He received a glowing testimonial from his former employer.

her performance in this tournament has been a testimonial to the dedication and talent she brings to the tennis court

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Short, personalized clips of customer testimonials and how-to instructions—as well as feature, advantage and benefit descriptions delivered through websites, email and social media—will be pivotal. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

The annual gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts features personalized tributes with performances and testimonials from fellow artists. —Ashraf Khalil The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024

Adjective

But if Face or Touch ID had been enabled on Adams’ device, the FBI potentially could have unlocked his phone with biometrics — which aren’t typically considered a form of testimonial evidence. —Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2024

And Kay’s rebuttal provided a testimonial, free of charge, for YES’ booth. —Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 29 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

testimonial

1 of 2 adjective

tes·​ti·​mo·​ni·​al ˌtes-tə-ˈmō-nē-əl 

: being a testimonial

testimonial

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a recommendation of a product or service

b

: a letter of recommendation

2

: something given or said to show affection or respect : tribute