Etymology of Witness

WITNESS (n.)

From Old English meaning “an assertion of fact from firsthand knowledge” and also “someone who testifies.” Original definition is “having a quality of knowledge, understanding, or wit,” (wit (n.) + -ness). Use by fourteenth-century Christians is a literal translation of the Greek martys, meaning martyr.

WITNESS (v.)

From witness (n.), this carried the meaning of “bear testimony.” Regarding wills and other legal documents, “affix one’s signature to establish identity” is from early fourteenth century. Meaning “to observe, see, or know firsthand through one’s senses (e.g., seeing, hearing)” is from the 1580s.

Sentences using WITNESS:

• “The legend of Saint Wilgefortis was witnessed by fourteenth-century Christians. It all began with a statue of Jesus wearing an unfamiliar tunic. The statue was delivered to an Italian town that was more accustomed to seeing Jesus clad in a loincloth. And so, because Jesus was ‘in disguise,’ they did not recognize him…”
• “If the truth dies with the witness, does it make a sound?”