signatory
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of signatory
1640–50, in earlier sense “used in affixing seals”; 1860–65 signatory for def. 2; < Latin signātōrius of, belonging to sealing, equivalent to signā ( re ) to mark, seal ( see sign) + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
A signatory is someone who signs a document and is subject to it. The co-signer for a loan is one type of signatory. A signatory is someone who signs a contract, therefore creating a legal obligation. There could be several signatories for a specific contract. Over time, this word has often been used for a person or country who signs a peace treaty. If the treaty is broken, the signatory will be blamed. You could be a signatory for a marriage, mortgage, adoption, lawsuit, or employment contract.
Vocabulary lists containing signatory
The Bean Trees
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This Week In Words: June 6–12, 2020
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Nevermoor
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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.
See Examples For:
Jenkins alleges Davis remained a signatory on its bank accounts, directed spending, and used the collective impact nonprofit to cover personal expenses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
Iran is also a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which makes the same pledge.
From Slate ● Feb. 27, 2026
Around that time, both Kahn and Indyke had signatory authority on some accounts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 23, 2025
Under the climate accord, signatory nations are required every five years to submit stronger targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, thereby steadily raising the collective effort to reduce global warming over time.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2025
On the morning of March 7, thirty thousand German troops had rolled into the demilitarized Rhineland, in open defiance of both the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact to which Germany was a signatory.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Despite the confrontational tone of the letter, some signatories struck a more conciliatory note.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
"They're travelling from countries that are also signatories and strong supporters of it."
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
The signatories included Kremer, who has supported Trump since his first White House win in 2016, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
Those accords have 66 signatories, China and Russia not among them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
This extraordinary address exhibits the courage, if not the tact and sense of humour of the signatories; but none of them cared to present it.
From Lola Montez An Adventuress of the 'Forties by d'Auvergne, Edmund B.
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.
