English
signet
Signet comes from Old French signet ‘small seal’, from Latin signum ‘sign’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *segnom.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘sign’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400signet‘small seal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘sign’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400signet‘small seal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: “I had my fathers Signet in my Purse, /…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sek- ‘to cut’
saw, sex, risk, section, ship, sexual, segment, sack, insect, sawyer, scarlet, designation, sax, shingle, sickle, dissect, het, scythe, seg, sedge, sich, desiccation, brassica, desiccant, assignation, 49 more
through Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’
design, sealing, resign, assign, consign, 15 more
through Latin signum ‘sign’
significant, seal, signal, significance, signify, ensign, insignia, sain, sigil, signification, 9 more
Today it means
noun An object (especially a ring) formerly used to impress a picture into the sealing wax of a document as a proof of its origin.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *segnom / signet