Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
witness. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
witness, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
witness in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
witness you have here. The definition of the word
witness will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
witness, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English witnesse, from Old English ġewitnes, equivalent to wit + -ness. Cognate with Middle Dutch wetenisse (“witness, testimony”), Old High German gewiznessi (“testimony”), Icelandic vitni (“witness”).
Pronunciation
Noun
witness (countable and uncountable, plural witnesses)
- (uncountable) Attestation of a fact or event; testimony.
She can bear witness, since she was there at the time.
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :May we, with the warrant of womanhood and the witness of a good conscience, pursue him with any further revenge?
1959, Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of holy scripture, volume 6:We have as much witness from heaven as we need.
1999, Nettie Becker, Paul Becker, A Comprehensive Guide for Caregivers in Day-care Settings:On another corner, stands an old style tenement building, whose dirty grey facade bears as much witness to the volume of exhaust fumes from millions of passing cars as it does to the age of the dwelling.
2002, Charles E. Scott, The Lives of Things, page 125:Nor do the formation and articulation of such knowledge themselves bear much witness to Geist.
2008, Jeremiah Burroughs, C. Matthew McMahon, Therese B. McMahon, The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, page 100:Fleeing is giving witness, and those that plead against it are loath to give so much witness
2014, James Tarter, God's Word to the United States: The Book of Obadiah:Ob. 16 can show that every nation will get at least this much witness
- (countable) One who sees or has personal knowledge of something.
As a witness to the event, I can confirm that he really said that.
c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :[…] thyself art witness— I am betrothed.
c. 1786, Robert Hall, A Reverie:Upon my looking round, I was a witness to appearances which filled me with melancholy and regret.
- (countable, law) Someone called to give evidence in a court.
The witness for the prosecution did not seem very credible.
1961 November, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Holmes Chapel”, in Trains Illustrated, page 652:From the evidence of witnesses and of the recorded passing times, including the time at which the circuit breakers were tripped when the wires were brought down, the train was travelling at a speed of not less than 70 m.p.h.
- (countable) One who is called upon to witness an event or action, such as a wedding or the signing of a document.
The bridesmaid and best man at a wedding typically serve as the witnesses.
- (countable) Something that serves as evidence; a sign or token.
Derived terms
Translations
attestation of a fact or event
- Aghwan: 𐔰𐕄𐔰𐔾 (aḳal), 𐕢𐕒𐕡𐔾𐔰𐔺𐔲𐔰𐕎 (pulaygan)
- Arabic: شَهَادَة (ar) f (šahāda)
- Armenian: վկայություն (hy) (vkayutʻyun)
- Bactrian: οιγαλφο (oigalfo)
- Belarusian: пасве́дчанне n (pasvjédčannje), пасьве́дчаньне n (pasʹvjédčanʹnje)
- Bulgarian: свиде́телство (bg) n (svidételstvo)
- Catalan: testimoni (ca) m, testimoniatge m, atestat (accident de cotxe) m
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 證人/证人 (zh) (zhèngrén)
- Czech: svědectví (cs) n
- Dutch: getuigenis (nl)
- Ewe: ɖaseɖiɖi
- Finnish: todistus (fi)
- French: témoignage (fr) m
- Georgian: მტკიცებულება (mṭḳicebuleba)
- German: Zeugnis (de) n
- Hindi: गवाही (hi) f (gavāhī), साक्ष्य (hi) m (sākṣya)
- Hungarian: tanúság (hu), tanúságtétel (hu)
- Indonesian: saksi (id)
- Irish: fianaise f
- Italian: testimonianza (it) f
- Japanese: 証人 (ja) (しょうにん, shōnin), 証 (ja) (あかし, akashi)
- Korean: 증인(証人) (ko) (jeung'in)
- Latin: testimōnium
- Norman: têmoignage m
- Old English: ġewitnes f
- Ottoman Turkish: شهادت (şehadet)
- Polish: świadectwo (pl) n
- Portuguese: testemunho (pt) m
- Russian: свиде́тельство (ru) n (svidételʹstvo)
- Scottish Gaelic: fianais f
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: сведоча́нство n, свједоча́нство n
- Roman: svedočánstvo (sh) n, svjedočánstvo (sh) n
- Slovak: svedectvo n
- Spanish: testimonio (es) m
- Swahili: shahidi (sw)
- Swedish: vittnesmål (sv) n
- Thai: พยาน (th) (pá-yaan)
- Turkish: tanıklık (tr)
- Ukrainian: сві́дчення (uk) n (svídčennja)
- Vietnamese: nhân chứng (vi)
- Zazaki: şehade c
|
one who has a personal knowledge of something
- Afrikaans: getuie
- Arabic: شَاهِد (ar) (šāhid), شَاهِدَة f (šāhida), شَهِيد (ar) (šahīd), شَهِيدَة f (šahīda)
- Egyptian Arabic: شاهد m (šāhid)
- Armenian: վկա (hy) (vka), ականատես (hy) (akanates)
- Azerbaijani: şahid (az), tanıq
- Bashkir: шаһит (şahit)
- Belarusian: све́дка m or f (svjédka)
- Bengali: সাক্ষী (bn) (śakkhi)
- Bulgarian: свиде́тел (bg) m (svidétel), свиде́телка f (svidételka), очеви́дец (bg) m (očevídec), све́док m (svédok) (dated)
- Catalan: testimoni (ca) m
- Cebuano: saksi
- Cherokee: ᎠᎦᏔᎯ (agatahi)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 證人/证人 (zh) (zhèngrén), 見證人/见证人 (zh) (jiànzhèngrén), 目擊者/目击者 (zh) (mùjīzhě)
- Czech: svědek (cs) m, svědkyně f
- Danish: vidne (da) n
- Dutch: getuige (nl) m
- Esperanto: atestanto
- Ewe: ɖasedila
- Finnish: todistaja (fi)
- French: témoin (fr) m
- Friulian: testimone
- Georgian: მოწმე (moc̣me), თვითმხილველი (tvitmxilveli)
- German: Zeuge (de) m, Zeugin (de) f (female)
- Greek: μάρτυρας (el) m (mártyras)
- Ancient: μάρτυς m (mártus)
- Hebrew: עֵד (he) m (ed)
- Hindi: गवाह (hi) m (gavāh), साक्षी (hi) m (sākṣī)
- Hungarian: szemtanú (hu), fültanú (hu)
- Icelandic: vottur m
- Ingrian: näkkiäsmees
- Irish: fianaise f, finné m
- Italian: testimone (it) m
- Japanese: 目撃者 (ja) (もくげきしゃ, mokugekisha)
- Kabuverdianu: tistimunha
- Khmer: សាក្សី (km) (saksəy), កសិណសាក្សី (kaʼsənsaksəy)
- Korean: 목격자(目擊者) (ko) (mokgyeokja)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: şahid (ku), guwah (ku)
- Lao: ພະຍານ (pha nyān), ສັກຂີ (sak khī)
- Latin: testis
- Macedonian: сведок m (svedok)
- Maori: kaititiro
- Marathi: साक्षीदार (sākṣīdār)
- Mongolian:
- Cyrillic: гэрч (mn) (gerč)
- Norman: têmoin m
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: vitne (no) n
- Nynorsk: vitne n
- Old East Slavic: съвѣдѣтель m (sŭvědětelĭ)
- Old English: ġewita m
- Old Norse: váttr m
- Pashto: شاهد (ps) m (šāhéd), ګواه m (gawãh)
- Persian: شاهد (fa) (šâhed), گواه (fa) (govâh)
- Plautdietsch: Zeij f
- Polish: świadek (pl) m
- Portuguese: testemunha (pt) f
- Romanian: martor (ro) m, martoră (ro) f
- Russian: свиде́тель (ru) m (svidételʹ), свиде́тельница (ru) f (svidételʹnica) (female), очеви́дец (ru) m (očevídec)
- Sardinian: distimonzu m, testimóngiu m, tistimognu m
- Scottish Gaelic: neach-fianais m
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: свѐдок m, свјѐдок m, сведо̀киња f, свједо̀киња f
- Roman: svèdok (sh) m, svjèdok (sh) m, svedòkinja f, svjedòkinja (sh) f
- Slovak: svedok m, svedkyňa f
- Slovene: priča
- Spanish: testigo (es) m
- Swahili: shahidi (sw)
- Swedish: vittne (sv) n
- Tajik: шоҳид (šohid), гувоҳ (guvoh)
- Tatar: шаһит (tt) (şahit)
- Telugu: సాక్షి (te) (sākṣi)
- Thai: สักขี (th) (sàk-kǐi), พยาน (th) (pá-yaan), ผู้เห็นเหตุการณ์ (pûu-hěn-hèet-gaan)
- Tocharian B: reme
- Turkish: şahit (tr), tanık (tr)
- Turkmen: şaýat
- Ukrainian: сві́док m (svídok), очеви́дець m (očevýdecʹ)
- Urdu: گواہ m (gavāh), شاہد m (śāhid)
- Uyghur: گۇۋاھچى (guwahchi)
- Uzbek: guvoh (uz), shohid (uz)
- Venetian: testimònio m
- Vietnamese: nhân chứng (vi)
- Welsh: tyst (cy) m
- West Frisian: tsjûge c
- Yiddish: עד m (eyd)
- Zazaki: şahid c
|
someone called to give evidence in a court
- Afrikaans: getuie
- Albanian: dëshmitar (sq) m
- Arabic: شَاهِد (ar) m (šāhid), شَاهِدَة f (šāhida)
- Egyptian Arabic: شاهد m (šāhid)
- Armenian: վկա (hy) (vka)
- Azerbaijani: şahid (az), tanıq
- Bashkir: шаһит (şahit)
- Belarusian: све́дка m or f (svjédka), відаво́чца m (vidavóčca), во́чнік m (vóčnik), во́чніца f (vóčnica)
- Bengali: সাক্ষী (bn) (śakkhi)
- Bulgarian: свиде́тел (bg) m (svidétel), свиде́телка f (svidételka), очеви́дец (bg) m (očevídec), све́док m (svédok) (dated)
- Burmese: သက်သေ (my) (sakse)
- Catalan: testimoni (ca) m
- Cebuano: saksi
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 證人/证人 (zh) (zhèngrén)
- Czech: svědek (cs) m, svědkyně f
- Danish: vidne (da) n
- Dutch: getuige (nl) m
- Estonian: tunnistaja
- Finnish: todistaja (fi)
- French: témoin (fr) m
- Galician: testemuña (gl) f
- Georgian: მოწმე (moc̣me), თვითმხილველი (tvitmxilveli)
- German: Zeuge (de) m, Zeugin (de) f (female)
- Greek: μάρτυρας (el) m or f (mártyras)
- Ancient: μάρτυς m (mártus)
- Hebrew: עֵד (he) m (ed)
- Hindi: गवाह (hi) m (gavāh), साक्षी (hi) m or f (sākṣī)
- Hungarian: tanú (hu)
- Ingrian: näkkiäsmees
- Irish: fianaise f, finné m
- Italian: testimone (it) m
- Japanese: 証人 (ja) (しょうにん, shōnin), 目撃者 (ja) (もくげきしゃ, mokugekisha)
- Javanese: seksi (jv)
- Kazakh: куәгер (kuäger), айғақ (aiğaq), куә (kuä)
- Khmer: សាក្សី (km) (saksəy), កសិណសាក្សី (kaʼsənsaksəy)
- Korean: 증인(証人) (ko) (jeung'in), 목격자(目擊者) (ko) (mokgyeokja)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: şahid (ku), guwah (ku)
- Kyrgyz: күбө (ky) (kübö)
- Lao: ພະຍານ (pha nyān), ສັກຂີ (sak khī)
- Latvian: liecinieks m
- Lithuanian: liudytojas m
- Macedonian: сведок m (svedok)
- Malay: saksi
- Malayalam: സാക്ഷി (ml) (sākṣi)
- Maori: kaiwhakaatu, kaitaunaki
- Mongolian:
- Cyrillic: гэрч (mn) (gerč)
- Norman: têmoin m
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: vitne (no) n
- Nynorsk: vitne n
- Old English: ġewita m
- Pashto: شاهد (ps) m (šāhéd), ګواه m (gawãh)
- Persian: شاهد (fa) (šâhed), گواه (fa) (govâh)
- Polish: świadek (pl) m
- Portuguese: testemunha (pt) f
- Romanian: martor (ro) m, martoră (ro) f
- Russian: свиде́тель (ru) m (svidételʹ), свиде́тельница (ru) f (svidételʹnica) (female), понято́й (ru) m (ponjatój), понята́я (ru) f (ponjatája) (someone who is present at and signs the report of a police search), очеви́дец (ru) m (očevídec)
- Scottish Gaelic: neach-fianais m
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: свѐдок m, свјѐдок m, сведо̀киња f, свједо̀киња f
- Roman: svèdok (sh) m, svjèdok (sh) m, svedòkinja f, svjedòkinja (sh) f
- Slovak: svedok m, svedkyňa f
- Slovene: priča f, očividec m, očividka f
- Spanish: testigo (es) m
- Swahili: shahidi (sw)
- Swedish: vittne (sv) n
- Tajik: шоҳид (šohid), гувоҳ (guvoh)
- Tatar: шаһит (tt) (şahit)
- Thai: พยาน (th) (pá-yaan), สักขี (th) (sàk-kǐi)
- Turkish: şahit (tr), tanık (tr)
- Turkmen: şaýat
- Ukrainian: сві́док m (svídok), сві́дчий m (svídčyj), сві́дча f (svídča), очеви́дець m (očevýdecʹ)
- Urdu: گواہ m (gavāh), شاہد m (śāhid)
- Uyghur: گۇۋاھچى (guwahchi)
- Uzbek: shohid (uz), guvoh (uz)
- Vietnamese: nhân chứng (vi)
|
something that serves as evidence
Translations to be checked
Verb
witness (third-person singular simple present witnesses, present participle witnessing, simple past and past participle witnessed)
- (transitive) To furnish proof of, to show.
This certificate witnesses his presence on that day.
1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC, lines 56-57:round he throws his baleful eyes / That witness'd huge affliction and dismay
- (transitive) To take as evidence.
1993, Vicki M. Pino, “Viewpoints from our Readers after "Aprongate": Lighten up”, in Atlanta Journal Constitution:Depression often goes undetected until it is too late . Witness the recent White House suicide.
- (transitive) To see or gain knowledge of through experience.
He witnessed the accident.
1801, Robert Hall, On Modern Infidelity:This is but a faint sketch of the incalculable calamities and horrors we must expect, should we be so unfortunate as ever to witness the triumph of modern infidelity
1803, John Marshall, The Life of George Washington:General Washington did not live to witness the restoration of peace.
- (intransitive, construed with to or for) To present personal religious testimony; to preach at (someone) or on behalf of.
1998, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, volume 6, "Niebuhr, Reinhold", page 842:Instead, Niebuhr's God was the God witnessed to in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, the Bible of the Christian world.
- To see the execution of (a legal instrument), and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity.
to witness a bond or a deed
Synonyms
Translations
(transitive) to furnish proof of
(transitive) to take as evidence
(transitive) to see or gain knowledge of through experience
(intransitive) to preach presenting personal testimony
Translations to be checked
Anagrams