Confidant vs. Witness — What's the Difference?

The confidant ( or ; feminine: confidante, same pronunciation) is a character in a story whom a protagonist confides in and trusts. Confidants may be other principal characters, characters who command trust by virtue of their position such as doctors or other authority figures, or anonymous confidants with no separate role in the narrative.

In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, either oral or written, of what he or she knows or claims to know.

One to whom secrets or private matters are disclosed.

One who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced

A character in a drama or fiction, such as a trusted friend or servant, who serves as a device for revealing the inner thoughts or intentions of a main character.

One who is called on to testify before a court.

A person in whom one can confide or share one's secrets: a friend.

One who is called on to be present at a transaction in order to attest to what takes place.

One to whom secrets, especially those relating to affairs of love, are confided or intrusted; a confidential or bosom friend.

One who signs one's name to a document for the purpose of attesting to its authenticity.

Someone to whom private matters are confided

Attestation to a fact, statement, or event; testimony

Something that serves as evidence; a sign

One who publicly affirms religious faith.

Witness A member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

To see or know by personal experience

To provide or serve as evidence of

To consider as an example. Often used in the imperative

To testify to; bear witness of

To be the setting or site of

To attest to the legality or authenticity of (a document) by signing one's name.

To furnish or serve as evidence

To testify to one's religious beliefs

(uncountable) Attestation of a fact or event; testimony.

(countable) One who sees or has personal knowledge of something.

Someone called to give evidence in a court.

(countable) One who is called upon to witness an event or action, such as a wedding or the signing of a document.

(countable) Something that serves as evidence; a sign or token.

(transitive) To furnish proof of, to show.

(transitive) To take as evidence.

(transitive) To see or gain knowledge of through experience.

To present personal religious testimony; to preach at (someone) or on behalf of.

To see the execution of (a legal instrument), and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity.

Attestation of a fact or an event; testimony.

That which furnishes evidence or proof.

One who is cognizant; a person who beholds, or otherwise has personal knowledge of, anything; as, an eyewitness; an earwitness.

One who testifies in a cause, or gives evidence before a judicial tribunal; as, the witness in court agreed in all essential facts.

To see or know by personal presence; to have direct cognizance of.

To give testimony to; to testify to; to attest.

To see the execution of, as an instrument, and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity; as, to witness a bond or a deed.

To bear testimony; to give evidence; to testify.

Someone who sees an event and reports what happened

A close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind);

Testimony by word or deed to your religious faith

(law) a person who attests to the genuineness of a document or signature by adding their own signature

(law) a person who testifies under oath in a court of law

Be a witness to

Perceive or be contemporaneous with;