Noun

Singular testament

Plural testaments

testament (plural testaments)

1. (law) A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his or her will as to disposal of his or her inheritance (estate and effects) after his or her death, benefiting specified heir(s).

   Note: This is otherwise called a will, and sometimes a last will and testament. A testament, to be valid, must conform in most states to applicable legal rules, which may include: be made by a person of sound mind; and be executed and published in due form of law. In certain cases one may make a valid will by word of mouth only. See {Nuncupative will}, under {nuncupative}.

2. One of the two distinct revelations of the Judeo-Christian God's purposes toward man; a covenant; also, one of the two general divisions of the canonical books of the Biblical Scriptures, in which the covenants are respectively revealed: the Old Testament and the New Testament; -- often limited, in colloquial language, to the latter.

   He is the mediator of the new testament ... for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament. --Heb. IX. 15.

3. A tangible proof or tribute.
4. A credo, expression of conviction

   The prime minister's speech was a glowing testament to the cabinet's undying commitment to the royal cause

Synonyms

• (law): will
• last will

Derived terms

• testamentary
• Old Testament
• New Testament
• holographic testament -- a testament written wholly by the testator himself. -w:Bouvier.

Related terms

• intestate
• testate
• testator
• testify
• testimonial
• testimony

A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true.

Testament can refer to:

• Old Testament, also known as the Tanakh, the holy scriptures of Judaism and Christianity
• New Testament, holy scriptures of Christianity including the Gospels, epistles of Paul, and other writings
• Qur'an, also known as the Final Testament, the holy scriptures of Islam
• Will (law), a document detailing wishes upon the author's death and one of the original uses of testament; often referred to as "Last Will and Testament"
• Testament (film), a 1983 film about the aftermath of a nuclear war on a family
• Le grand testament, the masterpiece of poet François Villon, who also wrote a Petit testament
• Lenin's Testament, name given to a document written by Vladimir Lenin in the last weeks of 1922 and the first week of 1923
• Testament (band), an American thrash metal band
• Testament (comic book), a 2005 comic book
• Das Testament, an album by E Nomine
• Testament (Xenosaga), mysterious characters from the Xenosaga series
• Testament (Guilty Gear), a character from the video game series Guilty Gear
• Testament Records (UK), a classical music record label
• Testament Records (USA), an American roots music record label
• The Testament (Ludlum novel), a novel by Eric Van Lustbader
• Testament, a Channel Four Television series, and the book of the same name by John Romer
• "Testament", a song by Axium from Blindsided