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

I applied sealing wax and dropped it in a mailbox.

From New York Times • May 25, 2024

And you can take that anywhere you like — Christmas plus pizza, Christmas plus Bigfoot, Christmas plus Hanukkah, clouds, pigs, sealing wax, whatever.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2018

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

Dain’s desk, stuffed with scrolls and pens and sealing wax.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black