Pronunciation: /ˈwɪtnəs/

Definitions of witness

noun a person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a witness at the scene of the accident.

A2 The witness testified in court about what they saw.

B1 The witness provided valuable information to the police.

B2 The witness was called to the stand to give their account of the events.

C1 The witness's testimony was crucial in solving the case.

C2 The witness's credibility was called into question during cross-examination.

verb to see an event happening, especially a crime or accident

Example Sentences

A1 I witness the sunrise every morning.

A2 She witnessed the accident and called for help.

B1 The security camera captured footage of the crime in progress, but no one witnessed it.

B2 As a key witness in the trial, he provided crucial evidence.

C1 The journalist witnessed the historic event and wrote a detailed report about it.

C2 Having witnessed the aftermath of the natural disaster, she decided to volunteer for relief efforts.

adjective related to or involving witnessing an event

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a witness at the crime scene.

A2 The witness testimony was crucial in solving the case.

B1 The witness statement was recorded by the police.

B2 The witness protection program ensured the safety of the key witness.

C1 The witness stand was occupied by the expert witness.

C2 The witness box was surrounded by reporters eager to hear the testimony.

preposition used in phrases like 'witness to' to indicate someone who observed an event

Example Sentences

A1 I witness the beautiful sunset.

A2 The child witnessed the magic show with awe.

B1 The security camera captured the thief in the act, providing a witness to the crime.

B2 As a witness to the accident, I had to provide a statement to the police.

C1 The expert witness testified in court about the authenticity of the document.

C2 The astronaut was the only witness to the mysterious alien encounter.

Examples of witness in a Sentence

formal The witness provided crucial evidence during the trial.

informal I saw the whole thing happen, I was a witness.

slang I was there when it all went down, I was a witness.

figurative As the storm raged on, the trees stood as silent witnesses to its power.

Grammatical Forms of witness

past tense

witnessed

plural

witnesses

comparative

more witness

superlative

most witness

present tense

witness

future tense

will witness

perfect tense

have witnessed

continuous tense

is witnessing

singular

witness

positive degree

witness

infinitive

to witness

gerund

witnessing

participle

witnessed

Origin and Evolution of witness

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'witness' originated from the Old English word 'witeness' which was derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'witan', meaning 'to know'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'witness' evolved from simply knowing or being aware of something to testifying or providing evidence in a legal context.