Meanings
plural signories
- archaicA territory or domain, especially under a feudal lordship.
Such honour was done in thoſe dayes to men who profeſt the ſtudy of wiſdome and eloquence, not only in their own Country, but in other Lands, that Cities and Siniories heard them gladly, and with great reſpect, if they had ought in publick to admoniſh the State.
1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 3
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Italiansignoria
- Middle Frenchsigneurie
- Anglo-Normanseignurie
- Middle Englishseignurie
- Englishsignory
From Middle English seignurie, from Anglo-Norman seignurie, Middle French signeurie, signerie et al., later influenced by Italian signoria. Compare seigniory.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Middle French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
signory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signory
“signory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signory. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “signory,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signory.
Source: signory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.