testatio

Forms

testātiō f (genitive testātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from testor “to bear witness” with the suffix -tiō, from testis “witness”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Livy, whom he dates 59 BC–17 AD, and Livy uses it of calling the broken treaties to witness.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a calling to witness, as in Livy, the action of testifying to a fact, and in law a sworn statement or written deposition, as in Quintilian.^[2][5] Lewis & Short note it is not found in Cicero.^[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for a sworn statement or deposition.^[7] It gave English testation in the 1640s, “a witnessing”.^[3]

Timeline

• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it.^[4][5]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a deposition.^[2][4]
• 1640s – English testation is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A calling to witness; testimony.^[2][5]
2. (law) A sworn statement, deposition.^[2]

Word family

• dētestātiō

Related words

• testor
• testis
• testimōnium
• English testation

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press