signature

[ sig-nuh-cher, -choor ]

/ ˈsɪg nə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /

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See synonyms for: signature / signatures on Thesaurus.com

Definition of signature

noun

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

the act of signing a document.

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

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

any unique, distinguishing aspect, feature, or mark.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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Origin of signature

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

signalment, signal node, signal-to-noise ratio, signal transduction pathway, signatory, signature, signature loan, signature tune, sign away, signboard, signed English

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use signature in a sentence

Fossil signatures of hibernation, a form of torpor, have turned up in rodent teeth several million years old.
Ancient Lystrosaurus tusks may show the oldest signs of a hibernation-like state|Susan Milius|September 16, 2020|Science News
Early images of the exterior suggest the structure is a departure from Apple’s signature minimalism.
Apple’s ‘most ambitious’ new store is a departure from its signature design|claychandler|September 8, 2020|Fortune
Just three weeks after the petition was launched, it had 3,750 signatures.
How the Pandemic Is Saving Lives in the Horn of Africa|Eromo Egbejule|September 3, 2020|Ozy
In its current form, the initiative, which would need to gather more than 100,000 valid signatures before qualifying for the ballot, would redirect OFRI’s budget to support outdoor education programs and rural job training.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Calls for Audit After Our Reporting on a State Institute That Lobbied for the Timber Industry|by Tony Schick, OPB, and Rob Davis, The Oregonian/OregonLive|September 2, 2020|ProPublica

Ask election administrators how applications and ballots should be filled out, including signatures and candidate selections.
Reporting Recipe: How to Report on Voting by Mail|by Rachel Glickhouse and Jessica Huseman|September 2, 2020|ProPublica
It is not a decisive war, with a single, signature victory, but a war of attrition.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The pieces are near-identical, excepting the signature buttons on the Chanel suit and a few small tailoring details.
The Big Business of Fashion Counterfeits|Lizzie Crocker|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even his signature instrument, Auto-Tune, has become as accepted an ingredient in hip-hop as the drum machine.
Future Makes Us Rethink Everything We Thought We Knew About Rap Artists|Luke Hopping|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lacking any sense of irony, Eldridge made campaign-finance reform a signature plank.
The Rise and Fall of Chris Hughes and Sean Eldridge, America’s Worst Gay Power Couple|James Kirchick|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For obvious reasons, finalizing such an agreement would have required the presence and signature of both candidates.
How to Fight Corruption With Game Theory|Mark McKinnon|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For a moment Joe stood behind her, silently, looking over her shoulder at the signature of Isom Chase.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
It need not mention the sum to be paid for the land; it can be signed with a lead pencil: a stamp signature will suffice.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
I see, too, the faces of all concerned with the sudden ugly signature of alarm where before had been peace.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood
Sutherland often spoke to me about that, and wondered if a will with an imperfect signature would pass.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
Master never completed the signature, for he took to his bed that very day, and no one ever saw him put pen to paper again.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for signature

signature

/ (ˈsɪɡnɪtʃə) /

noun

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

the act of signing one's name

a distinctive mark, characteristic, etc, that identifies a person or thing
(as modifier)a signature fragrance

music See key signature, time signature

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

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

Word Origin for signature

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

Medical definitions for signature

signature

[ sĭg′nə-chər ]

The part of a physician's prescription containing directions to the patient.

signature

Definition of signature

Origin of signature

OTHER WORDS FROM signature

Words nearby signature

Words related to signature

How to use signature in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for signature

Word Origin for signature

Medical definitions for signature