Where does “signature” come from?
Signature comes from Middle French signature, from Latin signatura, derived from Latin signare and Latin signo, both from Latin signum meaning "sign" or "mark," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek-.
signature (English): A person's name, written by that person, used as...
Definitions
- A person's name, written by that person, used as...
Ancestry of “signature”, step by step
signature traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French signature
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | signature | — |
| 2 | Latin | signatura | nominative feminine singular of signātūrus;... |
| 3 | Latin | signō | to mark, sign |
| 4 | Latin | signum | visible indication: sign, mark, signal; seal,... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | seknom | sign |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |
via Medieval Latin signatura
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | signatura | — |