character witness

noun

: a person who gives evidence in a legal action concerning the reputation, conduct, and moral nature of a party

Examples of character witness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The 36-page filing also included more than a dozen character witness letters authored by his mother, his husband, friends and other community members. Grace Hase, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025 Other testimony came from character witnesses who described Syed as having an even temper, strong communication skills, loving relationships and an impressive ability to remain hopeful during his long prison term. Brian Witte, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025 At the sentence reduction hearing on Feb. 26, Syed’s attorneys called several character witnesses, including his younger brother, two fellow former inmates and friends, and a forensic social worker. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025 This was most troublesome in relation to the primary character witnesses: the defendants’ current and former girlfriends, wives, and partners. Katie Ebner-Landy, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for character witness

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of character witness was circa 1832

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Cite this Entry

“Character witness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/character%20witness. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Legal Definition

character witness

see witness

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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