Where does “signature” come from?

signature (Middle French) comes from Latin signatura, from Latin signō, from Latin signum, from Proto-Italic seknom, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

Ancestry of “signature”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsignaturanominative feminine singular of signātūrus;...
2Latinsignōto mark, sign
3Latinsignumvisible indication: sign, mark, signal; seal,...
4Proto-Italicseknomsign
5Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “signature

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek-Every word from Proto-Italic seknomEvery word from Latin signum