endosser

Endosser is a relatively rare English noun referring to a person who endorses something, or to a term borrowed from French where endosser means to endorse, to shoulder responsibility, or to place something on the back of a document. In modern English, the more common form is endorser, and endosser may appear as a historical or nonstandard variant.

In finance, an endorser signs the back of a negotiable instrument such as a check to transfer rights or authorize payment. Endorsements can vary in form, including blank endorsements that allow negotiability by any holder, or restrictive and qualified endorsements that limit transfer or specify conditions. The endorser’s signature or mark thus creates or conveys financial rights associated with the instrument.

Beyond finance, the verb endosser is used less frequently in English. More common is the verb endorse, meaning to express support or approval for a proposal, product, or person. The noun form remains endorser or endorsement, with endosser appearing mainly in historical or nonstandard usage. In legal or bureaucratic contexts, the preferred terms are endorsement or indorsement, the latter being an older spelling that is now largely supplanted by endorsement.

Etymology and variants: endosser derives from the French endosser, which originally meant to put on the back or to endorse a document. English usage has preferred the forms endorser and endorsement, while indorsement and indorse were once common spellings. The noun endosser is largely confined to discussions of spelling variation or cross-language terminology. See also endorsement, endoseur (French), and negotiable instruments.