signet

English

Etymology

From Old French signet (“small seal”), from Medieval Latin signētum, diminutive of Latin signum (“sign”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪɡ.nɪt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Homophone: cygnet

Noun

signet (plural signets)

1. (historical) An object (especially a ring) formerly used to impress a picture into the sealing wax of a document as a proof of its origin.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     I had my fathers Signet in my Purse, / Which was the Modell of that Danish Seale:

   • 1844, Robert Browning, The Labratory:

     To carry pure death in an earring, a casket,
     A signet, a fan-mount, a filigree basket!

Derived terms

• signet ring

Related terms

Translations

See also

• siglum

Further reading

• seal (emblem) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• get-ins, ingest, stinge, tinges

French

Etymology

Old French signet.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.ɲɛ/

• Audio

  (file)

• Audio (CAN)

  (file)

Noun

signet m (plural signets)

1. bookmark (strip used to mark a place in a book)

   Synonym: marque-page

2. (historical) signet

   Synonym: chevalière

Descendants

• → German: Signet

Further reading

• “signet”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Anagrams

• gisent

Latin

Verb

signet

1. third-person singular present active subjunctive of signō

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French signet.

Noun

signet n (plural signete)

1. bookmark

Declension