The Animal and the Stamp Are Two Different Seals
A seal is a marine mammal. A separate seal is a mark pressed into wax to close a document.
A seal is a marine mammal, and separately a device that closes something or the mark it leaves. They are unrelated: the animal is Old English *seolh*, while the closure is Latin *sigillum*, a little image, from *signum*, a sign. A wax seal was a small picture pressed into wax to prove who sent a document, which is why breaking a seal was a serious matter. The verb *to seal* now covers airtight closures of every kind, far from any wax.
- A marine mammal. *A grey seal.*
- A closing device. *A rubber seal.*
- A wax impression. *The royal seal.*
- To close tightly. *Sealing the jar.*
- Latin — *sigillum*, a little image. *The stamp.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | seal | A seal. |
| Verb | seal | Sealing. |
| Adjective | sealed | Sealed. |
| Related | sigil | A sigil. |
| Old English | seolh | A seal. |
- A seal basked on the rock.Animal.
- The letter bore a wax seal.Document.
- Seal the jar tightly.Closure.
Why documents were sealed
- Few people could write, so a seal proved identity better than a signature
- The impression was unique to the owner's matrix
- Breaking the seal showed the document had been opened
- Great seals authenticated acts of state
- Signet rings carried a personal seal on the hand
The animal is Old English *seolh*. The stamp is Latin *sigillum*, a little image, from *signum*, a sign.
Are the animal and the wax seal related?
No. The animal is Old English; the stamp comes from Latin sigillum, a little image.
Why were wax seals used?
Because few people could write, and a unique impression proved identity and showed whether a document had been opened.