eyewitness

noun

eye·​wit·​ness ˈī-ˈwit-nəs 

: one who sees an occurrence or an object

especially : one who gives a report on what he or she has seen

Examples of eyewitness in a Sentence

The police are hoping to locate an eyewitness to the shooting.

He was able to give an eyewitness account of the shooting.

Recent Examples on the Web

That dispatch excerpt was part of a compilation of dispatch audio and video footage — from a police vehicle dashboard, Lemos’ body camera and an eyewitness cell phone — played for reporters a few days after the shooting. —Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025

Reportedly, the courts found inconclusive DNA, nor direct eyewitness who attested to seeing a gun in his hands. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 19 Feb. 2025

Davis spent 17 years behind bars for a 2004 shooting, after NYPD detectives allegedly ignored and withheld key eyewitness testimony that pointed to another suspect, according to the Legal Aid Society. —Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2025

Yes, the No. 1 eyewitness to the murder of cosmetics researcher-developer Hayley Ritter is performing his civic duty internationally, thanks to Iris, the 24/7 video portal linking a little plaza in Manhattan and a tiny Scottish fishing village. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for eyewitness

• fitness
• witness
• unfitness

Kids Definition

eyewitness

noun

eye·​wit·​ness -ˈwit-nəs 

: a person who sees an occurrence and is able to give a report of it

Legal Definition

eyewitness

noun

eye·​wit·​ness

: one who sees an occurrence or object or sometimes experiences it through other senses (as hearing) and usually reports or testifies about it