Word
eyewitness
Phoneticseye·wit·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈaɪˈwɪtnəs/
UK/ˈaɪwɪtnəs/
Countable noun Law
Definition
n. someone who sees an event happen with their own eyes, especially a crime or an accident. You use this when someone can describe exactly what they saw to the police or in court.
n. a person who has personally seen an event, such as a crime or accident, and can describe it. Often used in legal or journalistic contexts to establish factual evidence.
Examples
“The police are looking for an eyewitness to the crash.”
“An eyewitness reported seeing a blue car speeding away from the scene immediately after the alarm went off.”
“Legal experts often caution that eyewitness testimony can be surprisingly unreliable, as stress and the passage of time can significantly alter a person's memory of a traumatic event.”
Examples
simple
“The police are looking for an eyewitness to the crash.”
contextual
“An eyewitness reported seeing a blue car speeding away from the scene immediately after the alarm went off.”
complex
“Legal experts often caution that eyewitness testimony can be surprisingly unreliable, as stress and the passage of time can significantly alter a person's memory of a traumatic event.”
Usage
Commonly used as a modifier in the compound 'eyewitness testimony' or 'eyewitness account'.
Real-World Examples
“They kept the other doors locked because they feared we would come to see our children too often."
Several eyewitnesses have claimed duty staff were not around.” “We hear from eyewitnesses, aviation experts and the families of those who died.” “Eyewitnesses and the loved ones of those endangered are top of the interview list, to keep the sense of danger and emotional stakes at the top of everyone’s mind.” Etymology
From eye + witness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/eyewitness