Where does “sign” come from?
Sign derives from Latin signum, meaning a mark or token, transmitted through English usage across multiple attestations.
sign (English): A visible indication; Physical evidence left by...
Definitions
- A visible indication; Physical evidence left by...
Ancestry of “sign”, step by step
sign traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English signe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | signe | — |
| 2 | Old English | seġn | sign; mark; token |
| 3 | Latin | signum | visible indication: sign, mark, signal; seal,... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | seknom | sign |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |
via Old French signe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | signe | sign; signal |