Testis

in Online Etymology Dictionary

(pl. testes), 1704, from L. testis "testicle," usually regarded as a special application of testis "witness" (see testament), presumably because it "bears witness" to virility (cf. Gk. parastates, lit. "one that stands by;" and Fr. slang témoins, lit. "witnesses"). But Buck thinks Gk. parastatai "testicles" has been wrongly associated with the legal sense of parastates "supporter, defender" and suggests insteadparastatai in the sense of twin "supporting pillars, props of a mast," etc. Walde, meanwhile, suggests a connection between testis andtesta "pot, shell, etc."

testicle 

1590s, alteration of testicule (early 15c.), from L. testiculus, dim. oftestis "testicle" (see testis). The O.E. was herþan, probably originally "leather bag" (cf. heorþa "deer-skin"). The commonest slang terms for them in other languages are words that mean "balls," "stones," "nuts," "eggs."

testosterone (n.) 

male sex hormone, 1935, from Ger. Testosteron (1935), coined from a presumed comb. form of L. testis "testicle" (see testis) + ster(ol)(see steroid) + chemical ending -one.

testify 

late 14c., "to serve as evidence of," from L. testificari "bear witness," from testis "witness" (see testament) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Biblical sense of "openly profess one's faith and devotion" is attested from 1520s.

contest (v.) 

c.1600, from Fr. contester "dispute, oppose," from M.Fr., from L.contestari (litem) "to call to witness, bring action," from com-"together" (see com-) + testari "to bear witness," from testis "a witness," (see testament). Calling witnesses as the first step in a legal combat. Related: Contestable; contested; contesting.

protest (n.) 

c.1400, "avowal, pledge, solemn declaration," from L. protestari"declare publicly, testify, protest," from pro- "forth, before" (seepro-) + testari "testify," from testis "witness" (see testament). Meaning "statement of disapproval" first recorded 1751; adjectival sense of "expressing of dissent from, or rejection of, prevailing mores" is from 1953, in reference to U.S. black civil rights movement. First record of protest march is from 1959.

detest (v.) 

early 15c., "to curse, to call God to witness and abhor," from M.Fr.détester, from L. detestari "to curse, execrate, abominate, express abhorrence for," lit. "denounce with one's testimony," from de-"from, down" (see de-) + testari "be a witness," from testis "witness" (see testament). Related: Detested; detesting.

testimony (n.) 

late 14c., "the Ten Commandments," from L.L. testimonium(Vulgate), along with Gk. to martyrion (Septuagint), translations of Heb. 'eduth "attestation, testimony" (of the Decalogue), from 'ed"witness." Meaning "evidence, statement of a witness" first recorded early 15c., from O.Fr. testimonie (11c.), from L. testimonium"evidence, proof, testimony," from testis "witness" (see testament) + -monium, suffix signifying action, state, condition.

attest (v.) 

1590s, from M.Fr. attester (O.Fr. atester, 13c.) "affirm, attest," from L. attestari "confirm," lit. "bear witness to," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + testari "bear witness," from testis "witness" (see testament). Related: Attested; attesting.

testament 

late 13c., "last will disposing of property," from L. testamentum "a will, publication of a will," from testari "make a will, be witness to," from testis "witness," from PIE *tris- "three," on the notion of "third person, disinterested witness." Use in reference to the two divisions of the Bible (c.1300) is from L.L. vetus testamentum and novum testamentum, loan-translations of Gk. palaia diatheke and kaine diatheke. L.L. testamentum in this case was a mistranslation of Gk.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."