Etymology dictionary

sick-leave (n.) — Sikhism (n.)

sick-leave (n.)

"leave of absence from duty granted on account of physical disability," 1840; see sick (adj.) + leave (n.).

late 14c., siklewe, "ill, invalid, habitually ailing or indisposed," from sick (adj.) + -ly (1). The meaning "causing sickness" in any sense is from c. 1600. That of "manifesting a disordered condition of mind" is by 1741. Shakespeare uses it as a verb. Related: Sickliness.

sicko (n.)

1977, from sick (adj.) in the mental sense + ending as in weirdo. Sickie "perverted person" is attested from 1972; sicknik (1959) "pervert, obscene comedian" (applied to, among others, Lenny Bruce) has the then-faddish -nik ending.

sick-room (n.)

"room occupied by one who is sick," 1749; see sick (adj.) + room (n.).

sic transit gloria mundi

c. 1600, Latin phrase, literally "thus passes the glory of the world;" perhaps an alteration of a passage in Thomas à Kempis's "Imitatio Christi" (1471).

SIDS (n.)

1970, acronym for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

siddha (n.)

in Hinduism, "one who has attained perfection and bliss," 1846, from Sanskrit siddhah "accomplished, achieved, successful, possessing supernatural power, sorcerer, saint," related to sidhyati "reaches his goal, succeeds," sadhuh "right, skilled, excellent, a holy man."

side (n.)

Old English side "flanks of a person, the long part or aspect of anything," from Proto-Germanic *sīdō (source also of Old Saxon sida, Old Norse siða, "flank; side (of meat); coast," Danish side, Swedish sida, Middle Dutch side, Dutch zidje, Old High German sita, German Seite), from adjective *sithas "long" (source of Old English sid "long, broad, spacious," Old Norse siðr "long, hanging down"), from PIE root *se- "long; late" (see soiree).

The "long part of anything" sense is preserved hillside, it also was in 16c.-17c. side-coat "long coat." From 14c. as "lateral half of the body of a slaughtered animal." In reference to bacon, it indicates position relative to the ribs. The meaning "a region, district" is from c. 1400, as in South Side, countryside.

The figurative sense of "position or attitude of a person or set of persons in relation to another" (as in choose sides, side of the story) is recorded by mid-13c. As "an aspect" of anything immaterial (the bright side, etc.), by mid-15c.

The meaning "one of the parties in a transaction" is from late 14c.. The sense of "one of the parties in a sporting contest or game" is from 1690s. The meaning "music on one side of a phonograph record" is attested by 1936. As short for side-dish, by 1848.

The phrase side by side "close together and abreast, placed with sides near together" is recorded from c. 1200. Colloquial on the side "in addition," especially "unacknowledged," with connotations of "illicit, shady," is by 1893.

side (v.)

late 15c., "to cut (meat) into sides," from side (n.). The meaning "place oneself on the same side in action or opinion" (usually side with) is attested by c. 1600, from side (n.) in the figurative sense; earlier hold sides (late 15c.); to take sides is from c. 1700. Related: Sided; siding.

side (adj.)

late Old English, "long, broad, spacious; extending lengthwise," from side (n.). Compare Old Norse siðr "long, hanging down." From late 14c. as "being from or toward the side," hence also "subordinate." Also "apart from the main course" of anything, as in side-road (1854); side-trip (1911). In side-eye (by 1922) the notion is "directed sideways."

siding (n.)

c. 1600, "a taking of sides in a conflict or debate, the attaching of oneself to a party," verbal noun from side (v.). It is attested by 1825 in the railroad sense of "short additional track beside a main line for shunting and passing;" by 1829 in American English in the architectural sense of "weather-boarding, boarding on the sides of a building."

sidearm (adj.)

also side-arm, "done with the swing of the arm extended sideways," 1908, from side (adj.) + arm (n.1).

side-arms (n.)

also sidearms, "military weapons worn at the side or at the belt" (sword, dagger, etc.), 1760, from side (adj.) + plural of arm (n.2). Especially of the swords of officers, which they may be allowed to keep in a surrender.

sidebar (n.)

"secondary article accompanying a larger one in a newspaper," 1948, from side (adj.) + bar (n.1). The word has been used in other senses in mechanics, law, etc.

sideboard (n.)

"table placed near the side of a room or hall" (especially one where food is served), c. 1300, from side (adj.) + board (n.1). Originally especially an additional dining table, later a piece of dining room furniture for storing dishes, plates, wine, etc. (1670s).

sideburns (n.)

"short side-whiskers, part of a man's beard which grows on the cheeks," 1880, American English, an alteration of burnsides (q.v).

sidecar (n.)

also side-car, 1881, "conveyance in which the seats face to the side;" see side (n.) + car (n.). Attested by 1903 as "vehicle designed to be attached to the side of a motorcycle to accommodate another passenger." By 1928 as the name of a cocktail.

side-dish (n.)

"dish accessory to the principal one in a course," 1725, from side (adj.) + dish (n.). The restaurant phrase on the side "apart from the main dish" is attested from 1884, in American English.

side-door (n.)

"door on the side of a building, room, etc.," 1530s, from side (n.) + door.

side-effect (n.)

"subsidiary consequence of an action, etc.," 1884, from side (adj.) + effect (n.). The specific medical use, with reference to drugs, is recorded by 1939.

sidekick (n.)

also side-kick, "companion or close associate," 1901, also side-kicker (1903, "O. Henry"), American English, of uncertain signification. Earlier terms were side-pal (1886), side-partner (1886).

side-light (n.)

also sidelight, c. 1600, "light coming from the side," from side (adj.) + light (n.). The figurative meaning "incidental information on a subject, an oblique illustration" is attested by 1862.

sideline (n.)

also side-line, "line extending along or attached to the side of anything," 1768; see side (adj.) + line (n.). The specific sense of "line marking the limits of playing area" (on a football field, etc.) is by 1862.

The meaning "course of business aside from one's regular occupation" is from 1890. The railway sense of "line extending from a main line" is from 1890. The figurative sense of "position removed from active participation" is attested from 1934 (from the railway sense or from sports, because players who are not in the game stand along the sidelines).

The verb meaning "put out of play" is from 1945. Related: Sidelined; sidelines; sidelining.

sidelong (adv.)

"toward the side, laterally, obliquely," 1570s, an alteration of sideling, sidelings (Middle English sidlyng), for which see sidle. The change probably is by influence of unrelated long (adj.). As an adjective from 1590s.

side-man (n.)

also side man, sideman, "supporting musician in a band, band-member other than the leader," by 1936, from side (adj.) + man (n.). Earlier it meant "assistant to a church warden" (1560s).

side-note (n.)

also sidenote, "note made or placed at the side of a written or printed page," 1776, from side (adj.) + note (n.). A marginal note, as distinguished from a footnote.

side-on (adv.)

1909, "with one side facing," from side (n.) + on (adv.), perhaps based on earlier head-on. In reference to a vehicle collision, by 1828.

sidereal (adj.)

also siderial, 1630s, "star-like;" 1640s, "of or pertaining to the stars," earlier sideral (1590s), from French sidereal (16c.), from Latin sidereus "starry, astral, of the constellations," from sidus (genitive sideris) "star, group of stars, constellation," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from PIE root *sweid- "to shine" (source also of Lithuanian svidus "shining, bright").

The sense in sidereal time, motion, etc. is "determined or measured by the apparent motion of the fixed stars," and is attested by 1680s. The sidereal day begins and ends with the passage of the vernal equinox over the meridian and is about four minutes shorter than the solar day, measured by the passage of the sun over the meridian.

sideration (n.)

"sudden paralysis," especially of a part of the body, 1610s, from Latin siderationem (nominative sideratio) "blast, blight, palsy," from siderari "to be planet-struck, afflicted as if by an evil star," from stem of sidus (genitive sideris) "heavenly body, star, constellation" (see sidereal). English in 17c. also had siderated "blasted," literal or figurative.

sidero-

word-forming element meaning "iron," used since late 18c. in medical terms and mineral names, from Greek sidēros "iron," which is of unknown origin. Beekes writes that "The Greeks got to know iron from Asia Minor, the Pontus and Caucasus, and it is likely that they took over the word for it from these areas as well." He points to resemblance to Udian (Caucasian) zido "iron."

He also mentions other theories: that the Greek word originally referred to meteoric iron, and is derived from Latin sidus "constellation;" that it refers to the redness of the metal and is related to sidē "pomegranate" or that it is connected to words for "silver" (such as Lithuanian sidābras).

side-saddle (n.)

"saddle made for the occupant to ride on with both feet on the same side of the horse," used chiefly by women, late 15c., from side (adj.) + saddle (n.). As an adverb, in ride side-saddle, by 1885.

side-show (n.)

also sideshow, 1855, "minor exhibition alongside or near a principal one," apparently a coinage of U.S. circus owner P.T. Barnum's, from side (adj.) + show (n.). Hence, any diversion or distracting subordinate event.

side-splitting (adj.)

"affecting with compulsive laughter," 1825, from side (n.) + split (v.). Related: Side-splittingly.

side-step (n.)

also sidestep, 1757, "a stepping to the side" (originally in military drill), from side (adj.) + step (n.). The verb is recorded from 1895, "step to one side;" the figurative sense of "evade (an issue), prevaricate" is attested from 1900.

side-swipe (v.)

also sideswipe, "to strike with a glancing blow," 1904, in reference to railway trains, from side (adj.) + swipe (v.). Related: Side-swiped; side-swiping. The noun is recorded by 1917, "a glancing blow from the side."

side-table (n.)

late 14c., "table to the side of the high table, along the wall of the room, for those of lower status," from side (n.) + table (n.).

sidetrack (n.)

also side-track, "railway siding used for turning out or shifting rolling stock," 1835, from side (adj.) + track (n.). The verb meaning "to move (a train car) onto a sidetrack" is from 1874. The figurative sense of "to divert from the main purpose" is attested from 1881. Related: Sidetracked.

sideways (adv.)

1570s, "from one side;" 1590s, "presenting the side" (instead of the face); 1610s, "toward one side;" from side (n.) + way (n.), with adverbial genitive. The form sideway is attested from 1610s. An earlier adverb was sideward, sidewards (early 15c.) "tending toward one side." To look sideways (at) is recorded from 1844 as "cast amorous glances," by 1860 as "cast scornful glances."

side-way (n.)

also sideway, 1550s, "byway, path or way along the side of or diverging from a main road," from side (n.) + way (n.). Compare German Seitenweg. By 1738 as "sidewalk."

sidewalk (n.)

"path for pedestrians on the side of a street," 1721, from side (adj.) + walk (n.). The use of sidewalk for pavement has been noted in England as an Americanism at least since 1902.

sidewinder (n.)

small horned rattlesnake of southwestern U.S., 1875, American English, from side (adj.) + agent noun of wind (v.1), so called in reference to its "peculiar lateral progressive motion" (from an 1875 U.S. Army report on zoology of the West). Also sidewiper (1888).

Sidhe

"the hills of the fairies," 1793; but in Yeats, "the fairie folk" (1899), and in his use an ellipsis of Irish (aos) sidhe "people of the faerie mound" (compare second element in banshee).

sidle (v.)

"to move obliquely, go sideways," 1690s, a back-formation from obsolete sideling (adv.) "obliquely, sideways; aslant; laterally" (early 14c., sidlyng), from side (n.) + adverbial suffix -ling (compare darkling, headlong). Probably back-formed on the model of verbs ending in -le. Related: Sidled; sidling. Old English had sidlingweg (n.) "sidelong-way, oblique road."

Sidon

ancient Phoenician city, from Greek Sidōn, from Phoenician Tzidhon, literally "fishing place," from tzud "to hunt, to capture." Related: Sidonian. Modern Saida in Lebanon.

siege (n.)

early 13c., segge, "a seat, chair, stool; ceremonial seat of a king," senses now obsolete, from Old French siege, sege "seat, throne," from Vulgar Latin *sedicum "seat," from Latin sedere "to sit" (from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit").

The military sense, "the stationing of an attacking force before or around a fortified place; the act or process of besieging a city, castle, etc." is attested from c. 1300; the notion is of an army "sitting down" before a place.

The oldest sense preserved in archaic Siege Perilous (early 13c.), the vacant seat at Arthur's Round Table, according to prophecy to be occupied safely only by the knight destined to find the Grail. Also in Middle English "a privy, a latrine, chamber pot" (c. 1400), hence in 16c. "excrement, fecal matter; the anus."

Siegfried

masc. proper name, German Siegfried; the first element is from Old High German sigu "victory," from Proto-Germanic *seges- "victory" (source also of Old Frisian si, Old Saxon sigi, Middle Dutch seghe, Dutch zege, German Sieg, Old Norse sigr, Danish seier, Gothic sigis, Old English sige "victory, success, triumph"), from PIE root *segh- "to hold" (source also of Sanskrit saha- "victory," sahate "overcomes, masters").

The second element is from Old High German frithu "peace" (from suffixed form of PIE root *pri- "to love"). Siegfried Line, World War I German fortifications in France (and German western defenses after it), is from German Siegfriedlinie, named for the hero in Wagner's "Ring" cycle.

Sieg Heil (interj.)

Nazi salute, German, literally "hail victory;" from German Sieg "victory," from Old High German sigu (see Siegfried) + heil "to hail," from Proto-Germanic *hailitho (see health). English heil was used in Middle English as a salutation implying respect or reverence (c. 1200; see hail (interj.)).

Siena

city in central Italy, site of a school of medieval painting, probably from Senones, the name of a Gaulish people who settled there in ancient times. Related: Sienese. For the coloring material, see sienna.

sienna (n.)

brownish-ochre color, by 1760 (terra-sienna), from Italian terra di Sienna "earth of Siena," region in Italy where the coloring material first was produced from a type of earth mined there. It is used as a pigment in both oil and watercolor painting. See Siena.

sierra (n.)

"range of hills or mountains," 1610s, from Spanish sierra "jagged mountain range," literally "saw," from Latin serra "a saw" (compare serrated), which is of unknown origin. De Vaan suggests a PIE *sers-h- "cutting off," and within Latin a possible connection with sarire "to hoe, weed." The word figures in many mountain-chain names in Spain and regions it explored and colonized.

Sierra Leone

West African nation, literally "lion mountains," from Spanish sierra "mountain range" (see sierra) + leon "lion" (see lion). Attested from mid-15c. in Portuguese explorers' accounts, and a very early explanation of the name derives it from the "roaring" of thunder in the mountains. Related: Sierra Leonean.

siesta (n.)

"interval of sleep or repose taken at mid-day," 1650s, from Spanish siesta "mid-day rest or nap," from Latin sexta (hora) "sixth (hour)," the mid-day hour (coming six hours after sunrise), from sexta, fem. of sextus "sixth" (see Sextus). A common practice in hot countries.

sieve (n.)

"a strainer, simple instrument for separating the finer from the coarser parts of disintegrated matter by shaking it so as to force the former through holes or meshes too small for the latter to pass," Middle English sive, from Old English sife, from Proto-Germanic *sib (source also of Middle Dutch seve, Dutch zeef, Old High German sib, German Sieb), from PIE *seib- "to pour out, sieve, drip, trickle" (see soap (n.)). Related to sift.

The Sieve of Eratosthenes (1803) is an ancient method for finding prime numbers. A sieve is noted as something a witch sails in by 1580s; hence sieve and shears, formerly used in divination.

sieve (v.)

late 15c. (implied in verbal noun sieving), transitive, "sift through or as if through a sieve," from sieve (n.). Related: Sieved.

sift (v.)

Middle English siften, from Old English siftan "pass or scatter (the finer parts of something) through a sieve," from Proto-Germanic *sib- (source also of Dutch ziften, Middle Low German sichten, German sichten "to sift;" see sieve (n.)).

The intransitive sense of "pass loosely or fall scatteredly" (of snow, light, etc.) is from 1590s, as is the meaning "clear or cleanse of impurities." The figurative or metaphoric sense of "look carefully through" is recorded by 1530s. Related: Sifted; sifting.

sifter (n.)

1570s, "one who sifts" in any sense of the verb, agent noun from sift (v.). By 1610s as "a utensil or apparatus for sifting."

sig (n.)

abbreviation of signature, 1866.

sigh (v.)

mid-13c., sighen, "make a prolonged and more or less audible heavy breath indicative of some emotion," probably a Middle English back-formation from sighte, past tense of Old English sican "to sigh," which is perhaps echoic of the sound of sighing. Related: Sighed; sighing.

By 13c. as an expression of grief or trouble in mind; by mid-14c. to express love-longing. From 1640s as "be sorry, be sorrowful" (sighful "sorrowful" is attested from c. 1600). Of the wind or trees in the wind by 1757.

sigh (n.)

late 14c., sighe, "a sigh," especially as an expression of sorrow, anxiety, love, etc. from sigh (v.). The earlier noun was sight (c. 1300).

sight (v.)

1550s, "look at, view, inspect" (a sense now obsolete), from sight (n.). From c. 1600 as "get sight of, bring into one's view;" 1842 as "take aim along the sight of a firearm." Related: Sighted; sighting.

sights (n.)

"features of a place that are deemed worth seeing," 1630s, plural of sight (n.) in the sense of "a spectacle seen" (c. 1200)..

sighting (n.)

"instance of catching sight, action of looking," 1853, verbal noun from sight (v.).

sight (n.)

Middle English sight, from Old English sihð, gesiht, gesihð "thing seen; power or faculty of sight; aspect; vision; apparition," from Proto-Germanic *sekh(w)- (source also of Danish sigte, Swedish sigt, Middle Dutch sicht, Dutch zicht, Old High German siht, German Sicht, Gesicht), stem that also yielded Old English seon (see see (v.)), with noun suffix -th (2), later -t (14c.).

The meaning "perception or apprehension by means of the eyes" is from early 13c. The meaning "device on a firearm to assist in aiming" is from 1580s. A "show" of something, hence, colloquially, "a great many; a lot," (late 14c.). As "something that calls forth glances of shock, amusement, etc., a shocking spectacle," by 1862.

Sight for sore eyes "welcome visitor" is attested from 1738; sight unseen (adv.) "without previous inspection" is from 1892. Sight gag is attested by 1944. To feel or know something at first sight is from c. 1300. From the firearm aiming sense come in (one's) sights; have (one's) sights set on something. To keep out of sight is from late 14c.; to be out of (someone's) sight is from c. 1400.

sightless (adj.)

"lacking sight, blind," late 13c., from sight (n.) + -less. Also sometimes, mainly in poetry, "invisible, unseeable" (1580s). Related: Sightlessly; sightlessness.

sightly (adj.)

1530s, "visible" (a sense now obsolete); 1560s, "pleasing to the sight," from sight (n.) + -ly (1).

Compare German sichtlich. Middle English sightlie is attested from mid-15c. but only in the sense "visible;" unsightly is attested in Middle English only as an adverb meaning "invisibly" (late 15c.). Middle English also had unsighty "difficult or displeasing to look at" (early 15c., from sighty (late 14c.) "visible, conspicuous; bright, shining; attractive, handsome;" c. 1400 as "keen-sighted;" mid-15c. as "discerning" (compare German sichtig "visible").

sight-reading (n.)

"act or practice of reading a piece of music at first sight," as a test of proficiency, 1864, see sight + read (v.). Related: Sight-read (v.).

sightseeing (n.)

also sight-seeing, "a going about for the purpose of seeing interesting places and things," 1821, from sight (see sights) + present participle of see (v.). Sight-see (v.) is from 1824. Sight-seer is recorded by 1821.

sigil (n.)

"a sign, mark, or seal," mid-15c., sigille, from Late Latin sigillum, from Latin sigilla (neuter plural) "statuettes, little images, seal," diminutive of signum "identifying mark, sign" (see sign (n.)). In astrology, an occult device supposed to have great power (1650s).

Related: Sigillary (adj.); sigillation ("action of sealing; fact of being sealed"); sigillative ("serving to seal or close up").

Sigismund

masc. proper name, from German, literally "protection through victory," from Old High German sigu "victory" (see Siegfried) + munt "hand, protection," from Proto-Germanic *mundō (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand").

sigma

18th letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding to Latin S; the name is a metathesis of Hebrew samekh. In uncial writing, shaped like an S or a C.

sigmatism (n.)

1888, "lisping difficulty in pronouncing 'S,'" from combining form of sigma + -ism. As "use or recurrence of 'S'" from 1889. Also sigmatismus.

sigmoid (adj.)

"shaped like the Greek letter sigma" in one of its forms, hence either "shaped like a C" (1660s) or "shaped like an S" (1786). From sigma (q.v.) + -oid. Especially of the flexure of the colon (1891). Related: Sigmoidal; sigmoidally.

sigmoidoscope (n.)

"speculum for examining the lower bowels," 1895, from sigmoid (q.v.) in the colonic sense + -scope, with connective -o-. Related: Sigmoidoscopy.

sign (n.)

early 13c., signe, "gesture or motion of the hand," especially one meant to express thought or convey an idea, from Old French signe "sign, mark," from Latin signum "identifying mark, token, indication, symbol; proof; military standard, ensign; a signal, an omen; sign in the heavens, constellation."

According to Watkins, literally "standard that one follows," from PIE *sekw-no-, from root *sekw- (1) "to follow." De Vaan has it from PIE *sekh-no- "cut," from PIE root *sek- "to cut" He writes: "The etymological appurtenance to seco 'to cut' implies a semantic shift of *sek-no- 'what is cut out', 'carved out' > 'sign'." But he also also compares Hebrew sakkin, Aramaic sakkin "slaughtering-knife," and mentions a theory that "both words are probably borrowed from an unknown third source."

It has ousted native token. By c. 1300 as "an indication of some coming event." The meaning "a visible mark or device having some special meaning" is recorded from late 13c.; that of "miraculous manifestation, a miracle demonstrating divine power" is from c. 1300. In reference to one of the 12 divisions of the zodiac, from mid-14c.

The sense of "inscribed board with a characteristic device attached to the front of an inn, shop, etc.," to distinguish it from others is recorded from mid-15c. The meaning "indicator, token or signal of some condition" (late 13c.) is behind sign of the times (1520s). The meaning "conventional mark or symbol in place of words" (in music, mathematics, etc., as in plus sign) is by 1550s. In some uses, the word probably is a shortening of ensign.

sign (v.)

early 13c., signen, "to make the sign of the cross," from Old English segnian and Old French signier "to make a sign (to someone); to mark," both of them from Latin signare "to set a mark upon, mark out, designate; mark with a stamp; distinguish, adorn;" figuratively "to point out, signify, indicate," from signum "identifying mark, sign" (see sign (n.)).

The sense of "to mark, stamp" is attested from mid-14c.; that of "affix one's name or signature to" is from late 15c. The meaning "communicate by hand signs, make known by significant motion" is recorded from 1700.

Transitive sense in baseball, "engage (a player) by the signing of an agreement" is by 1889. To sign out (transitive) "secure the release of (someone or something) by signing" is attested by 1963, of library books. The intransitive sense of "record one's departure" is recorded by 1951. Related: Signed; signing.

signage (n.)

1972, "signs collectively," especially in reference to public signs on roads or outside stores, from sign (n.) + -age. It was used earlier in legal language with reference to affixing signatures. Middle English had signance "a sign, signal, indication" (c. 1400).

signal (n.)

late 14c., "visible sign, indication" (a sense now obsolete), also "a supernatural act of God; a device on a banner," from Old French signal, seignal "seal, imprint, sign, mark," from Medieval Latin signale "a signal," from Late Latin signalis (adj.) "used as a signal, pertaining to a sign," from Latin signum "identifying mark, sign" (see sign (n.)).

The restricted sense of "conventional or agreed-upon sign" (to commence or desist, etc.) is from 1590s. The meaning "modulation of an electric current" is from 1855, later applied to electromagnetic waves, hence the use of signal in radio (later television) broadcasting (1923). The railroad signalman is attested by 1840.

signal (adj.)

"remarkable, striking, notable," 1640s, an irregular adoption (by influence of the noun) from French signalé, past participle of signaler "to distinguish, signal" (see signal (n.)). The notion is "serving as a sign."

signalize (v.)

1650s, "render conspicuous or noteworthy;" see signal (n.) + -ize. It is attested by 1702 as "make known, display strikingly;" by 1961 as "provide with traffic signals." Related: Signalized; signalizing; signalization.

signal (v.)

1805, "make signals to," from signal (n.). Related: Signaled; signaler; signaling. The earlier verb was signalize.

signatory (adj.)

1640s, "used in sealing," a sense now rare or obsolete, from Latin signatorius "of sealing," from signatus, past participle of signare "mark with a stamp, sign" (see sign (v.)).

The noun sense of "one who signs" (a treaty, etc.), "one bound by signature to the terms of an agreement" is attested by 1866. This apparently led to the adjective sense of "that has signed or signed and sealed; bound by signature and seal," attested by 1870.

signature (n.)

1530s in reference to a kind of document in Scottish law, from French signature (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin signatura "signature, a rescript," in classical Latin "the matrix of a seal," from signatus, past participle of signare "to mark with a stamp, sign" (see sign (v.)).

The meaning "one's own name written in one's own hand" is from 1570s, replacing sign-manual (early 15c.) in this sense. The meaning "distinguishing mark of any kind" is from 1620s. The music-notation meaning "signs placed it the beginning of a staff to indicate the time and key" is from 1806.

sign-board (n.)

also signboard, "board on which a notice is fixed," 1630s, from sign (n.) + board (n.1).

signee (n.)

"one who has signed" a contract, etc., 1953, from sign (v.) + -ee.

signer (n.)

"one who signs, one who writes his name as a signature," 1610s, agent noun from sign (v.). In American history, with reference to the Declaration of Independence, by 1865.

signet (n.)

late 14c., "small seal" (especially a private one on a finger ring), from Old French signet "a small seal," diminutive of signe "sign" (see sign (n.)). Signet-ring is attested from 1680s.

signification (n.)

early 14c., significacioun, "symbolization, representation," from Old French significacion and directly from Latin significationem (nominative significatio) "a signifying, indication, expression, sign, token, meaning, emphasis," noun of action from past-participle stem of significare "make known, indicate" (see signify). It is attested from late 14c. as "meaning" (of a word, etc.). Old English used getacnung as a loan-translation of Latin significatio.

significative (adj.)

"serving as an external sign or symbol of some fact," c. 1400, significatif, "having meaning, meaningful," from Latin significativus, from significat-, stem of significare "make known, indicate" (see signify). Related: Significatively.

signify (v.)

late 13c., signifien, "be a sign of (a fact or alleged fact), indicate, mean," also "declare, make known by signs, speech, or action," from Old French signifier (12c.), from Latin significare "to make signs, show by signs, point out, express; mean, signify; foreshadow, portend," from significus (adj.), from signum "identifying mark, sign" (see sign (n.)) + combining form of facere "to make, to do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

The intransitive sense of "be of importance" is attested from 1660s. The meaning "engage in mock-hostile banter" is African-American vernacular, by 1932. Related: Signified; signifying.

signifier (n.)

"one who or that which signifies" in any sense, 1530s, agent noun from signify. In African-American vernacular use by 1962. The earlier form signifer meant "the zodiac" (late 14c.), from Latin. Also compare astrological significator (1580s) "planet ruling a house," from Medieval Latin significare; the English word is attested from 1640s as "one who or that which signifies" (significatory is from 1570s).

significance (n.)

c. 1400, significaunce, "meaning" (of an omen, dream, etc.), from Old French significance or directly from Latin significantia "meaning, force, energy," from significans, present participle of significare "to mean, import, signify" (see signify).

From mid-15c. as "verbal meaning;" the sense of "importance" is from 1725. The earlier word was signifiance "sign, symbol, portent, meaning" (mid-13c.). Significancy (1590s) was the more common form 17c.-18c.

significant (adj.)

1570s, "having or conveying a meaning," from Latin significantem (nominative significans), present participle of significare "make known, indicate" (see signify). Earlier in the same sense was significative; also significate (adj.) "indicated, signified"(early 15c.).

From 1590s as "serving as a sign or indication." Often "having a special or secret meaning," hence "important, weighty" (1761). Related: Significantly. The scientific significant figure is from 1680s. Significant other is attested by 1961, in psychology, "the most influential other person in the patient's world."

sign-in (n.)

"act or action of signing in," 1968, originally in reference to a shift of work, from the verbal phrase, which is attested by 1930 as "secure admission of by signing a register;" see sign (v.) + in (adv.).

sign language (n.)

"system of communication using gestures," especially for communication with and among the deaf, by 1847; see sign (n.). Earlier hand-language (1670s).

sign-off (n.)

"act of ending or announcing the end of a broadcast," 1942, from the verbal phrase in the broadcasting sense (attested by 1923); see sign (v.) + off (adv.). It was used earlier as "stop doing something" (1838) and especially in reference to a formal agreement releasing a debtor from obligation.

signor (n.)

"Italian lord or gentleman," 1570s, from Italian signore, from Latin seniorem, accusative of senior "older" (from PIE root *sen- "old"). Sometimes English uses the full Italian form. Feminine form signora is attested in English from 1630s; diminutive signorina is recorded from 1820.

signpost (n.)

also sign-post, 1610s, "sign on a post, usually indicating an inn or shop; post having an arm from which a sign hangs or swings," from sign (n.) + post (n.1). The meaning "guide- or direction-post along a road, finger-post" is attested from 1863. The figurative sense is from 1889.