testament

/ˈtɛs.tə.mənt/

//ˈtɛs.tə.mənt// noun

"testament" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“testament” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,423 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,423
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his or her will as to disposal of his or her inheritance (estate and effects) after his or her death, benefiting specified heir...

Key facts for testament
PropertyValue
Headwordtestament
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɛs.tə.mənt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#6,423
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “testament” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). testament lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for testament is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɛs.tə.mənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,423 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for testament, with forms such as "etstament", "tesatment", and "tesstament". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English testament, from Old French testament, from Latin testāmentum (“the publication of a will, a will, testament, in Late Latin one of the divisions of the Bible”), from testor (“I am a witness, testify, attest, make a will”), from testis (“o… The correct English form is testament, spelled T-E-S-T-A-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his or her will as to disposal of his or her inheritance (estate and effects) after his or her death, benefiting specified heir(s).
  2. 2
    One of the two parts to the scriptures of the Christian religion: the New Testament, considered by Christians to be a continuation of the Hebrew scriptures, and the Hebrew scriptures themselves, which they refer to as the Old Testament.
  3. 3
    A tangible proof or tribute.
  4. 4
    A credo, expression of conviction.

Etymology

From Middle English testament, from Old French testament, from Latin testāmentum (“the publication of a will, a will, testament, in Late Latin one of the divisions of the Bible”), from testor (“I am a witness, testify, attest, make a will”), from testis (“one who attests, a witness”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etstament,tesatment,tesstament,testaemnt,testamennt,testamentt,testametn,testamment,testamnet,testmaent,testtament,tetsament,tsetament,ttestament

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of testament - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

etstament2tesatment2tesstament1testaemnt2testamennt1testamentt1testametn2testamment1
Edit distance from "testament"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "testament"?
"testament" is spelled T-E-S-T-A-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛs.tə.mənt/.
What does "testament" mean?
As a noun, "testament" means: A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his or her will as to disposal of his or her inheritance (estate and effects) after his or her death, benefiting specified heir...
What are common misspellings of "testament"?
Common misspellings include "etstament", "tesatment", "tesstament", "testaemnt", "testamennt". The correct spelling is "testament".
How do you pronounce "testament"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "testament" is /ˈtɛs.tə.mənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "testament"?
From Middle English testament, from Old French testament, from Latin testāmentum (“the publication of a will, a will, testament, in Late Latin one of the divisions of the Bible”), from testor (“I am a witness, testify, attest, make a will”), from ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “testament”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-E-S-T-A-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɛs.tə.mənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list