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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.
Examples of testimonial in a Sentence
Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The department’s response already spawned lawsuits, including from the Los Angeles Press Club, which pointed to video evidence and scores of testimonials suggesting that law enforcement violated its own guidelines and state law.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The Bears’ defensive coordinator responded with sarcastic thanks before adding his entry to the Nacua testimonial pile, lauding his route-running polish and savvy.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for testimonial
Cite this Entry
“Testimonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testimonial. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
testimonial
1 of 2 adjective
testimonial
2 of 2 noun
