testified
|tes-ti-fied|
🇺🇸
/ˈtɛstəˌfaɪ/
🇬🇧
/ˈtɛstɪfaɪ/
(testify)
give evidence
Etymology
'testify' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'testificari', where 'testis' meant 'witness' and the element related to 'ficare' (from 'facere') meant 'to make/do'.
'testify' changed from the Latin verb 'testificari' to Old French 'testifier' and then entered Middle English (forms such as 'testifien'/'testifien') before becoming the modern English 'testify'.
Initially, it meant 'to bear witness' in the literal sense; over time it evolved to emphasize 'giving formal evidence (often under oath)' and also gained the figurative sense 'to show or indicate'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'testify'.
She testified in court about what she had seen.
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Verb 2
gave evidence as a witness, especially under oath in a court or legal proceeding.
He testified that he had seen the defendant at the scene.
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Verb 3
served as evidence of something; showed or demonstrated (often used figuratively).
The results testified to the effectiveness of the new treatment.
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Last updated: 2025/12/02 22:40