English
signum
Signum comes from Latin signum ‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *segnom.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sek- ‘to cut’
saw, sex, risk, section, ship, sexual, segment, sack, insect, scarlet, sawyer, designation, sax, het, shingle, sickle, dissect, scythe, seg, sedge, sich, desiccation, brassica, desiccant, assignation, 48 more
through Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’
design, sealing, resign, assign, consign, 14 more
through Latin signum ‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’
significant, seal, signal, significance, signify, ensign, insignia, sain, signet, sigil, signification, 8 more
Today it means
noun A sign, mark, or symbol.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *segnom / signum