testament

noun

1. Law.
   1. a will, especially one that relates to the disposition of one’s personal property.
   2. will2(def 8).
2. either of the two major portions of the Bible: the Mosaic or old covenant or dispensation, or the Christian or new covenant or dispensation.
3. (initial capital letter) the New Testament, as distinct from the Old Testament.
4. (initial capital letter) a copy of the New Testament.
5. a covenant, especially between God and humans.

noun

1. law a will setting out the disposition of personal property (esp in the phrase last will and testament)
2. a proof, attestation, or tributehis success was a testament to his skills
3. 1. a covenant instituted between God and man, esp the covenant of Moses or that instituted by Christ
   2. a copy of either the Old or the New Testament, or of the complete Bible

noun

1. either of the two main parts of the Bible; the Old Testament or the New Testament
2. the New Testament as distinct from the Old

n.late 13c., “last will disposing of property,” from Latin testamentum “a will, publication of a will,” from testari “make a will, be witness to,” from testis “witness,” from PIE *tris- “three” (see three) on the notion of “third person, disinterested witness.” Use in reference to the two divisions of the Bible (c.1300) is from Late Latin vetus testamentum and novum testamentum, loan-translations of Greek palaia diatheke and kaine diatheke. Late Latin testamentum in this case was a mistranslation of Greek diatheke, which meant both “covenant, dispensation” and “will, testament,” and was used in the former sense in the account of the Last Supper (see testimony) but subsequently was interpreted as Christ’s “last will.”