sealing wax

American  

noun

1. a resinous preparation, soft when heated, used for sealing letters, documents, etc.

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sealing wax British  

noun

1. a hard material made of shellac, turpentine, and pigment that softens when heated. It is used for sealing documents, parcels, letters, etc

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Etymology

Origin of sealing wax

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Example Sentences

A fingerprint has been detected on sealing wax.

From New York Times • Feb. 20, 2020

By the 1950s it appeared fountain pens would go the way of sealing wax and vinyl records.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2019

The era of bound letter collections is over — when you had to prepare the ink, sharpen the quill and break out the sealing wax, what you said had better be important.

From Washington Post • Oct. 26, 2018

The man who revolutionized our understanding of the universe using little more than string and sealing wax would have watched with pride and hope.

From Scientific American • Aug. 30, 2013

The sheet was sealed with sealing wax, and the Lady Una questioned the boy closely about the travelers—a man and his wife—before she broke the seal and read the letter.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman