testament Definition
tes·ta·ment (tes′tə mənt)
noun
- Obsolete a covenant, esp. one between God and man
- either of the two parts of the Christian Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament
- Informal a copy of the New Testament
- a statement, act, etc. testifying to the fact, validity, or worth of something; testimonial a testament to liberty
- an affirmation of beliefs or convictions; profession a freethinker's testament
- Law a will: now rare except in the phrase last will and testament
Etymology: OFr < LL(Ec) testamentum, Testament (in N.T., transl. of Gr diathēkē, covenant) < L, a will < testari, to testify, make a will < testis, a witness: see testify
testament Related Forms
tes′·ta·men′·tary (-men′tə rē) adjective or tes′·ta·men′·tal
testament Synonyms
testament Law Definition
n
A document disposing of a
persons personal property upon his or her death, distinct from a will, which
is a devise of real estate.
testament Usage Examples
Converse of object
- bear: The death of my father's friend bears testament to this cruel act.
- fulfill: He is the one who fulfills the Old Testament by his sinless life.
- interpret: And he was speaking on interpreting the Old Testament.
- translate: On these occasions Felix Manz translated the Old Testament from the original Hebrew text; Grebel, the New Testament from the Greek.
- stand: The church tower, like that at Newton Arlosh, stands testament to the need for a place of refuge for the local villagers.
- read: Reading the Old Testament: Method in Biblical Study.
Noun used with modifier
bear: Photographs displayed in the dining room bear testament to the owners ' hard work over the years.
Adjective modifier
- old: Reading the Old Testament: Method in Biblical Study.
- Greek: Luke often used the Greek Old Testament for his stories.
- enduring: And it is an enduring testament to the corruption, deceit and arrogance of this pitiful and mucky government.
- remarkable: The remarkable testament is that my Uncle even recovered at all.
- true: He remains the only England Manager to win the World Cup, a true testament to his ability.
- real: Real testament to the benefits of a gardening lifestyle.
Modifies a noun
- prophet: Jesus is the secret that the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah had been telling all people about.
- prophesy: All fitting in with Roman strategy and Old Testament prophesy.
- scripture: This links with the concept of Wisdom within the Old Testament scriptures, which was then translated into the greek logos.
- saint: Daniel chapter 7 tells us the Old Testament saints will reign.
- canon: The New Testament canon in its current form was first formally attested in 367.
- passage: In our terms, some of the Old Testament passages cited are clearly taken out of context.
Preposition: in
Browse dictionary entries near testament
- ‹ testacy
- ‹ testaceous
- ‹ testa
- ‹ test tube
- ‹ test pilot
- ‹ test pattern
- ‹ test paper
- ‹ test match
- ‹ test-market
- ‹ test-drive

