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- pronunciation:
- wIt
nihs
- parts of speech:
- verb, noun
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
witnesses, witnessing, witnessed |
| definition 1: |
to watch or be present at.
He witnessed the accident.They witnessed their son's college graduation.- synonyms:
- attend, see, watch
- similar words:
- behold, observe, view
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| definition 2: |
to prove that a will or other legal paper was signed properly by signing it oneself.
The old man's two sons witnessed his will.- synonyms:
- attest, sign
- similar words:
- endorse, initial
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| related words: |
mark, note, see |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a person who sees or hears something that happened.
He was a witness to the fight.- synonyms:
- eyewitness
- similar words:
- beholder, bystander, observer, viewer
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| definition 2: |
a person who gives evidence in a court of law.
The witness said that the accident was the other driver's fault. |
| definition 3: |
a person who proves a legal paper was signed properly by signing it as well.
They signed as witnesses of their mother's will. |
| related words: |
testimony |
| derivations: |
witnessable (adj.), witnesser (n.) |
The word witness comes from wit, which in Old English means "knowledge."
The word witness
contains the following part:
-ness
Old English
noun-forming suffix
that means state or quality of
  More about this word part:
The suffix -ness
is attached to adjectives to form nouns. It is fully productive, meaning that any word that combines an adjective and the suffix -ness
is an allowable English noun. In a small set of cases, it is attached to a verb (forgiveness) or a noun (witness
).
Example words:
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