French word

témoin

Pronunciation

IPA/temwɛ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nouneyewitness

Example

Un témoin a vu l'accident.

An eyewitness saw the accident.

Illustration for témoin (eyewitness)

More examples

Il a demandé à son frère d'être son témoin de mariage.

He asked his brother to be his wedding witness.

Core concept

A person or signal that makes an event or condition known through direct evidence.

Common phrases

  • témoin de mariage

    wedding witness

  • témoin oculaire

    eyewitness

Similar words

victime: A person harmed in an accident or crime.
passant: A person walking along a street.
spectateur: A person who attends a show, game, or film as an audience member.

Definition in French

Personne qui a vu un événement et qui peut en rendre compte.

Word origin

French inherited témoin from Old French, which traces the word to the Latin noun testis for a witness.

Usage tips

  • In technical contexts, un témoin can mean an indicator light, as in a dashboard warning light, not only a person.

Other meanings

  • witnessnoun
  • indicator lightnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word