signwriting

sign·writ·ing
S1I1G2N1W4R1I1T1I1N1G2
US, UK/ˈsaɪnˈɹaɪ.tɪŋ/

noun

Any form of clear lettering designed to be used on signs.

Similar
Sutton SignWriting
OriginEnglish writing ← Middle English writing ← Old English wrīting →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

signwriting1

nounsignwriting (uncountable)

alternative sign writing

  1. uncountableAny form of clear lettering designed to be used on signs.

    Dieter walked along a broad corridor. Each door was clearly labeled in neat German signwriting, but Dieter looked inside anyway.

    2001, Ken Follett, Jackdaws, Dutton, →ISBN, page 30
  2. uncountableThe art or process of writing signs.

    Much modern signwriting is also done very cheaply, in the fastest possible way, and creativity is constrained by this commercial pressure as well.

    1991, Anthony John Lewery, Popular art: past and present

SignWriting2

proper noun
  1. An iconic writing system used to depict sign languages.

    Formal SignWriting is one particular computerized design for Sutton SignWriting that envisions a sign as a two part word.

    2022 January 30, Steve Slevinski, “Formal SignWriting”, in IETF, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2024

    Synonyms: Sutton SignWriting

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounAn iconic writing system used to depict sign languages.

Similar
Sutton SignWriting

Origin

signwriting · noun

  1. Englishsign
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wreyd-der.?
  3. Proto-Germanic*wrītaną
  4. Proto-West Germanic*wrītan
  5. Old Englishwrītan
  6. Old Englishwrīting
  7. Middle Englishwriting
  8. Englishwriting
  9. Englishsignwriting

Compound of sign + writing.

Full word history & related roots →

SignWriting · proper noun

  1. Englishsign
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wreyd-der.?
  3. Proto-Germanic*wrītaną
  4. Proto-West Germanic*wrītan
  5. Old Englishwrītan
  6. Old Englishwrīting
  7. Middle Englishwriting
  8. Englishwriting
  9. EnglishSignWriting

Compound of sign + writing. The writing system was invented in 1974 by Valerie Sutton.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 招牌文字, 寫招牌 /写招牌
  • 招牌文字 (zhāopái wénzì)lettering
  • 寫招牌 /写招牌art or process
  • 写招牌 (xiě zhāopái)art or process
Finnish tekstaus, kylttien kirjoitus
  • tekstauslettering
  • kylttien kirjoitusart or process
Portuguese SignWriting
  • SignWritingiconic writing system for sign languages

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

SignWritingsignwriting
Cite this entry
APA

signwriting. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signwriting

MLA

“signwriting.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signwriting. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “signwriting,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signwriting.

Source: signwriting on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.