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great seal

American  

noun

  1. the principal seal of a government or state.

  2. (initial capital letters)

    1. the Lord Chancellor, keeper of the principal seal of Great Britain.

    2. his office.

great seal British  

noun

  1. (often capitals) the principal seal of a nation, sovereign, etc, used to authenticate signatures and documents of the highest importance

"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

Etymology

Origin of great seal

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Surprisingly, the default medium tips provided a great seal for me, even though I usually reach for the large tips right away.

From The Verge • May 18, 2022

The cuff links bear the great seal of the United States.

From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2019

After the local press caught the replication, Cuccinelli claimed his pin had been copied from another “antique” great seal.

From The Guardian • Aug. 18, 2019

They also offer a great seal to insulate your music from exterior noise.

From The Verge • Jul. 9, 2019

Four stones still marked the corners of the boundaries, stones set with the great seal character of the House of Hwang.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.