Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Testament
Tes′ta-ment
,Noun.
1.
(Law)
A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his will as to disposal of his estate and effects after his death.
☞ This is otherwise called a will, and sometimes a last will and testament. A testament, to be valid, must be made by a person of sound mind; and it must be executed and published in due form of law. A man, in certain cases, may make a valid will by word of mouth only. See
Nuncupative will
, under Nuncupative
. 2.
One of the two distinct revelations of God's purposes toward man; a covenant; also, one of the two general divisions of the canonical books of the sacred Scriptures, in which the covenants are respectively revealed;
as, the Old
Testament
; 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.
Holographic testament
, a testament written wholly by the testator himself.
Bouvier.
Webster 1828 Edition
Testament
TEST'AMENT
,Noun.
1.
A solemn authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his will as to the disposal of his estate and effects after his death. This is otherwise called a will. A testament,to be valid, must be made when the testator is of sound mind, and it must be subscribed, witnessed and published in such manner as the law prescribes.A man in certain cases may make a valid will by words only, and such will is called nuncupative.
2.
The name of each general division of the canonical books of the sacred Scriptures; as the Old Testament; the New Testament. The name is equivalent to covenant, and in our use of it, we apply it to the books which contain the old and new dispensations; that of Moses, and that of Jesus Christ.