*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of sign

From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen. · An omen. · A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, can be detected objectively by someone other than the patient. · A mark or another symbol used to represent something.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum and signal. Partially displaced native token.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Root classification mention*sek-ine-pro
  • Root classification mention*sekʷ-ine-pro
  • Inherited-form mentionsigneenm
  • Inherited-form mentionseġnang · sign; mark; token
  • Derivation mentionsignefro
  • Derivation mentionsignumla · a mark; sign; token
  • Doublet mentionsignumen
  • Doublet mentionsignalen

This page abbreviates 9 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*sek-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
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        "3": "*sekʷ-",
        "id": "follow"
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        "2": "enm",
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      "expansion": "Middle English signe"
    },
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        "3": "seġn",
        "t": "sign; mark; token"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”)"
    },
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        "2": "fro",
        "3": "signe"
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      "expansion": "Old French signe"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "signum",
        "t": "a mark; sign; token"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "signum",
        "3": "signal"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of signum and signal"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "signe",
      "signe#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "sygne",
      "sygne#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "syng",
      "syng#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "seine",
      "seine#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "sine",
      "sine#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "syne",
      "syne#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "seġn",
      "segn#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "signe",
      "signe#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "seing",
      "seing#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "signum",
      "signum#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "signum",
      "signum#English"
    ],
    [
      "signal",
      "signal#English"
    ],
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      "token",
      "token#English"
    ]
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  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
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        "A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.",
        "An omen.",
        "A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, can be detected objectively by someone other than the patient.",
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol. · To mark, to put or leave a mark on. · To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it. · More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English signen, seinen, seinien, partly from Old English seġnian (“to mark; sign”) and partly from Anglo-Norman seigner, seiner et al., Old French signer et al., and their source Latin signāre (“to mark, seal, indicate, signify”); all from Latin signum (“a mark, sign”); see Etymology 1, above. Compare sain.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionsignenenm
  • Inherited-form mentionseġnianang · to mark; sign
  • Unspecified derivation mentionsignerfro
  • Derivation mentionsignarela
  • Derivation mentionsignumla

This page abbreviates 13 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
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      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "signen"
      },
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    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "seġnian",
        "t": "to mark; sign"
      },
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    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "en",
        "4": "seigner"
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      "expansion": "Anglo-Norman seigner"
    },
    {
      "name": "uder",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "signer"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French signer"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
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        "2": "la",
        "3": "signare",
        "4": "signāre",
        "5": "to mark, seal, indicate, signify"
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    },
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        "4": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "Latin signum (“a mark, sign”)"
    }
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  "links": [
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      "signen",
      "signen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "seinen",
      "seinen#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "seinien",
      "seinien#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "seġnian",
      "segnian#Old_English"
    ],
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      "seigner",
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      "seiner",
      "seiner#English"
    ],
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      "signer",
      "signer#Old_French"
    ],
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      "signāre",
      "signare#Latin"
    ],
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      "signum",
      "signum#Latin"
    ],
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      "sain",
      "sain#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Māori",
      "lang_code": "mi",
      "word": "haina",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
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    },
    {
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "lang_code": "gd",
      "word": "soidhn",
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      "lang_code": "unm",
      "word": "sayine",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
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        "To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol.",
        "To mark, to put or leave a mark on.",
        "To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it.",
        "More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc."
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for sign →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-c2lnbg