witness
53
3.7
- noun
- /ˈwɪtnəs/
- Specialized
:
testigo
- And they signed that she would be a witness for the government anytime.
Examples
-
It's signed by two witnesses, Lee Cook and Jimmy Balls.
-
Asking her brother-in-law to serve as a witness, Tomi handed the registration papers to Furukawa in exchange for the money.
Fiction book (1996) -
The witness' school record has nothing to do with what happened to him.
-
Do any of the witnesses have objections or remarks?
-
I need two witnesses who can attest to my soundness of mind to sign it.
Fiction book (1994) -
To make your will valid, you must have it signed by at least two witnesses.
-
The witnesses confirmed that they saw the defendant sign the contract.
-
Before finalizing the agreement, the notary checked the witnesses signatures for authenticity.
Synonyms
A person who signs a document to show it or its signature is real
A person who signs a document as a witness to show the signature is real
A person who watches and signs a document to show it is true
Antonyms
Compounds
59
3.9
A government program that keeps people who testify safe by moving them and giving new names
- Specialized
23
4.6
A person with special knowledge who gives an opinion in court about a subject they know well
- Formal
21
6.0
A person whose statement is very important to the main question in a court case
19
5.6
A person who speaks in court about another person's good character and honesty
12
7.3
A person in a Christian group that teaches the world will end soon and tells others their beliefs
- Jargon
7
7.3
A witness expected to speak against the side that called them and questioned by the other lawyer
- Formal
4
8.8
Saying false things in court on purpose after promising to tell the truth
- UK
4
4.2
An enclosed area in a courtroom where a person sits to tell the judge or jury what they saw
- Formal
1
8.7
A witness called by a party whose evidence is likely harmful and may be questioned more freely
- Jargon
1
6.9
A person who gives evidence in court about what they personally saw or experienced
How Official
Surface Forms
Morphology
witness = wit (opaque) = wit + ness
Although etymologically 'wit' + '-ness', the specific meaning 'attests to authenticity by signing' is a specialized legal usage not directly inferable from the parts.
Etymology
Witness comes from the old root wit 'knowledge', and a person who 'knows' a signature or document is asked to sign as proof. That is why a witness for a document shows they saw the signing and can confirm it is real.