signature

[ sig-nuh-cher, -choor ]
See synonyms for: signaturesignatures on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document.

  2. the act of signing a document.

  1. Music. a sign or set of signs at the beginning of a staff to indicate the key or the time of a piece.

  2. Radio. a song, musical arrangement, sound effect, etc., used as a theme identifying a program.

  3. any unique, distinguishing aspect, feature, or mark.

  4. Medicine/Medical. that part of a written prescription that specifies directions for use.

  5. Biology, Medicine/Medical. a distinctive characteristic or set of characteristics by which a biological structure or medical condition is recognized.

  6. Also called section. Bookbinding. a printed sheet folded to page size for binding together, with other such sheets, to form a book, magazine, etc.

  7. Printing.

    • a letter or other symbol generally placed by the printer at the foot of the first page of every sheet to guide the binder in folding the sheets and in gathering them in sequence.

    • a sheet so marked.

  8. Chemistry, Physics. a characteristic trace or sign that indicates the presence of a substance or the occurrence of a physical process or event: The satellite recorded a spectrum that is the signature of a nuclear explosion.

adjective
  1. serving to identify or distinguish a person, group, etc.: a signature tune.

Origin of signature

1
1525–35; <Medieval Latin signātūra a signing, equivalent to Latin signāt(us) past participle of signāre to mark (see sign, -ate1) + -ūra-ure

Other words from signature

  • sig·na·ture·less, adjective

Words Nearby signature

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use signature in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for signature

signature

/ (ˈsɪɡnɪtʃə) /


noun
  1. the name of a person or a mark or sign representing his name, marked by himself or by an authorized deputy

  2. the act of signing one's name

    • a distinctive mark, characteristic, etc, that identifies a person or thing

    • (as modifier): a signature fragrance

  1. US the part of a medical prescription that instructs a patient how frequently and in what amounts he should take a drug or agent: Abbreviation: Sig, S

  2. printing

    • a sheet of paper printed with several pages that upon folding will become a section or sections of a book

    • such a sheet so folded

    • a mark, esp a letter, printed on the first page of a signature

Origin of signature

1
C16: from Old French, from Medieval Latin signātura, from Latin signāre to sign

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012