Where does “testify” come from?
Testify comes from Middle English testifien, from Old French testifier, from Latin testificari meaning to bear witness, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- meaning to place or put.
testify (English): To make a declaration, or give evidence, under...
Definitions
- To make a declaration, or give evidence, under...
Ancestry of “testify”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | testifien | — |
| 2 | Old French | testifier | — |
| 3 | Latin | testificārī | — |
| 4 | Latin | testificor | I testify, bear witness; I bring to light,... |
| 5 | Latin | testis | witness; one who testifies or attests; testicle |
| 6 | Latin | terstis | — |
| 7 | Latin | trīstis | sad, unhappy, melancholy, morose |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | tristh₂s | a third party standing, after the two parties to... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |