attestation

noun4

1. •
   A thing that serves to bear witness, confirm, or authenticate; validation, verification, documentation.
2. •
   A confirmation or authentication.
3. •
   The process, performed by accountants or auditors, of providing independent opinion on published financial and other business records of an enterprise, public agency, or other organization.
4. •
   An appearance in print or otherwise recorded on a permanent medium.

   • A historical dictionary cannot do this though it cannot also neglect this aspect because the attestation of a rare meaning is bound to be very limited. — 1972