English
testament
Testament comes from Old French testament ‘testimony’, from Latin testāmentum ‘the publication of a will, a will, testament’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tristh₂s.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tristh₂sreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tristos‘witness’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtestis‘one who attests, a witness’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtestor‘to be a witness, testify, attest, make a will’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtestāmentum‘the publication of a will, a will, testament’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400testament‘testimony’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1976same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tristh₂sreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tristos‘witness’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtestis‘one who attests, a witness’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtestor‘to be a witness, testify, attest, make a will’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtestāmentum‘the publication of a will, a will, testament’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400testament‘testimony’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1976same form
Earliest quotation: 1976, Steven Blevins, Ads and Beauty Contests: “These ads are a sad testament to the paper's…”
Linked words
through Latin testis ‘one who attests, a witness’
testimony, contestant, testimonial, testicular, testicle, attestation, testis, 11 more
through Latin testor ‘to be a witness, testify, attest, make a will’
Today it means
noun A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his or her will as to disposal of his or her inheritance (estate and effects) after his or her death, benefiting specified heir(s).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *tristh₂s / testament