To give evidence or swear under oath in court; also means to serve as proof or evidence that something is true.
From Latin 'testificari,' combining 'testis' (witness) with 'facere' (to make). The word literally means 'to make witness' and has been used in legal contexts since medieval times.
The root 'testis' literally means 'witness' in Latin, and it's the same root as 'testament'—making a will is literally your final testimony. This shows how legal language preserves ancient ways of proving truth.
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