Etymologically
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testimonium

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [tɛs.tɪˈmoː.ni.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [tes.tiˈmɔː.ni.um][1]

Forms

testimōnium n (genitive testimōniī or testimōnī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from testis “witness” with the suffix -mōnium.[2][1][3] An inscription has ⟨testu-⟩.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from the Twelve Tables, of a witness's testimony.[2] Köbler dates them about 450 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant evidence given by a witness, testimony, as Plautus' false suits pressed with false testimony and Cicero's testimōnium dīcere.[2][5][6] In Gaius it meant the attestation of a witness at a legal act, and in Cicero any corroboration, especially a writer's words, and testimony to someone's merits.[2] From the Rhetorica ad Herennium it meant a proof, token.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant testimony, evidence, and in canon law a deposition under oath before a judge.[7] Medieval Latin used it for a witness's signature, a witness, an oath-helper and reputation.[8] It survives in Italian testimonio and Spanish testimonio, and Old North French testimonie gave English testimony about 1400.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it of testimony.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of false testimony.[5][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a writer's evidence.[2][4]
  • c. 1400 – English testimony is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Attestation.[2]
  2. Testimony, evidence; corroboration.[2]
  3. Testimony to merit.[2]
  4. A proof, token.[2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A witness; an oath-helper.[8]

Word family

  • testimonialis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill