Etymology

sign manual

Today it means: An authentic signature; (especially), the signature of a sovereign, used to validate a formal document. Full definition →

First used 15th c.Middle French signe
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The story

  1. Middle French · derived fromsigne
  2. English todaysign manual

From sign + manual, probably after Middle French signe manuel.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 15th c. An authentic signature; (especially), the signature of a sovereign, used to validate a formal document.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.