Where does “testament” come from?
testament (Serbo-Croatian) comes from Latin testāmentum, from Latin testārī, from Italian testare, from English Test, from German testen, from German Test, from English test, from Middle English teste — to stand.
testament (Serbo-Croatian): the will
Ancestry of “testament”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | testāmentum | — |
| 2 | Latin | testārī | — |
| 3 | Italian | testare | To be testate; To test; to sample |
| 4 | English | Test | a Test match |
| 5 | German | testen | to test |
| 6 | German | Test | test; melting pot |
| 7 | English | test | A challenge, trial; A cupel or cupelling hearth... |
| 8 | Middle English | teste | — |
| 9 | Old French | teste | head |
| 10 | Latin | testis | witness; one who testifies or attests; testicle |
| 11 | Latin | terstis | — |
| 12 | Latin | trīstis | — |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | tristh₂s | a third party standing, after the two parties to... |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |