Undertegner

Undertegner is a Norwegian term used in formal writing to refer to the person who signs a document, or to the act of signing itself. As a noun, it denotes the signatory or signatories on a paper; as a verb, it describes the action of signing or appending one's signature.

Etymology and meaning: the word is formed from the prefix under- combined with tegne, meaning to draw or inscribe. Historically it reflects the practice of placing a signature beneath the body of a document, identifying who has approved or authorized its contents.

Usage and contexts: undertegner appears in legal, administrative, and formal communications. It is common in contracts, petitions, memos, and official letters to designate the person who has signed or to indicate the act of signing. In many documents, the phrase the undersigned or similar formulations are used to point to the signatories and their authority.

Variants and language notes: the concept exists in both Bokmål and Nynorsk, with spelling and conjugation reflecting each standard. The verb is used in present tense to indicate the signer’s action (for example, signing a document), while the noun form refers to the individual or individuals who have signed. In English-language summaries of Norwegian documents, the term is typically rendered as “the undersigned” or “signatories.”

See also: underskrift (the signature), undertegning (the act of signing), signering (signing, in more modern or technical usage).