testimony

noun

tes·ti·mo·ny | \ ˈte-stə-ˌmō-nē

plural testimonies

Definition of testimony

1a : a solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness under oath in response to interrogation by a lawyer or authorized public official

b : firsthand authentication of a fact : evidence

c : an outward sign

2a : an open acknowledgment

b : a public profession of religious experience

3a(1) : the tablets inscribed with the Mosaic law

(2) : the ark containing the tablets

b : a divine decree attested in the Scriptures

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Examples of testimony in a Sentence

The jury heard 10 days of testimony. There were contradictions in her testimony. the personal testimonies of survivors of the war It is testimony to her courage and persistence that she worked for so long in the face of such adversity. The popularity of diet fads is a testimony to the fact that people want a quick fix for their health and weight problems.

Recent Examples on the Web

Congress has the power to demand testimony and documents and to hold accountable those who refuse to comply. — Washington Post, "Contempt of Congress and Executive Privilege, Explained," 18 Sep. 2019 Ravel, the former California elections official, said a good investigation should include interviews with everyone involved and, if necessary, testimony under oath. — oregonlive, "Case Closed: In Oregon campaign investigations, ‘I did not’ is all it takes," 17 Sep. 2019 The committee did not glean any new information from Lewandowski's testimony. — Grace Segers, CBS News, "Lewandowski sidesteps questions about Mueller report at House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing," 17 Sep. 2019 Nadler's statement came after the White House ordered two former top aides to defy congressional subpoenas and sought to limit testimony from President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. — NBC News, "Nadler blasts 'shocking and dangerous' White House effort to block ex-aides' testimony," 17 Sep. 2019 Key testimony in the hearing came from Fairfield Police Detective Michael Arimboanga, of the department’s major crimes unit, who, during the preliminary hearing, spent parts of two days on the witness stand. — Richard Bammer, The Mercury News, "North Bay man to face jury trial for murder following squabble over parking space," 15 Sep. 2019 There have been reports that Durham is using a grand jury to gather evidence and testimony. — Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, "Why It’s Unlikely the McCabe Grand Jury Voted against Indictment," 14 Sep. 2019 Infante-Green ruled after a four-hour testimony Friday to deny a petition filed on Sept. 5 by student activist groups and parents. — BostonGlobe.com, "The education commissioner’s intervention comes after a scathing, independent review of Providence Public Schools in June.," 14 Sep. 2019 But the responses could help shape the direction of future hearings or possible depositions, according to a Democratic aide, and the committee could still compel further testimony with mandatory requests. — Brian Fung, CNN, "House antitrust probe of Big Tech seeks documents from Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google," 13 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'testimony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near testimony

testimonialize

testimonial of the great seal

Statistics for testimony

Last Updated

17 Oct 2019

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Time Traveler for testimony

The first known use of testimony was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for testimony

testimony

noun

English Language Learners Definition of testimony

: something that someone says especially in a court of law while formally promising to tell the truth

: proof or evidence that something exists or is true

See the full definition for testimony in the English Language Learners Dictionary

testimony

noun

tes·ti·mo·ny | \ ˈte-stə-ˌmō-nē

plural testimonies

Kids Definition of testimony

: a statement made by a witness under oath especially in a court

testimony

noun

tes·ti·mo·ny | \ ˈtes-tə-ˌmō-nē

plural testimonies

Legal Definition of testimony

: evidence furnished by a witness under oath or affirmation and either orally or in an affidavit or deposition

— former testimony

: testimony that a witness gives at a different proceeding (as another hearing or a deposition)

Note: Under Federal Rule of Evidence 804, former testimony is admissible as an exception to the hearsay rule when the declarant is unavailable and if a predecessor in interest in a civil proceeding or the party against whom the testimony is offered had an opportunity and similar motive to develop the testimony.

— negative testimony

: testimony concerning what did not happen especially : testimony concerning what one did not perceive negative testimony that the witness did not hear a train whistle

Note: Negative testimony is sometimes accorded the same weight as positive testimony when the witness was in a position to perceive something and was eagerly attentive.

— opinion testimony

: testimony relaying opinion as opposed to direct knowledge of the facts at issue

Note: Opinion testimony may be allowed in evidence when it helps the factfinder understand or determine the facts at issue. Such testimony by a lay witness must be rationally based on his or her perception. A qualified expert witness may also give opinion testimony. The expert's opinion may be based on facts or data that he or she perceives directly or of which he or she is made aware other than by direct perception at or before trial.

— positive testimony

: testimony that presents an affirmative declaration of fact and is based on the personal knowledge of the testifier

— reputation testimony

: testimony concerning a person's reputation among associates or in the community