sigillate

Sigillate is a verb meaning to seal something with a signet, seal, or wax seal. The term derives from Latin sigillatus, from sigillum meaning seal. As an adjective, sigillate (or sigillated) describes something that bears a seal or has been sealed; usage as an adjective is rare in everyday English but occurs in historical or formal writing.

In historical and legal contexts, documents, charters, letters, and decrees were sigillated to certify authority and authenticity. Seals served as tamper-evident marks and signs of legitimacy, with the identity of the issuer often guaranteed by the seal’s impression. The practice extended to seals on containers, pouches, and other portable items.

Today, the verb is primarily found in scholarly or ceremonial language rather than in common usage. When used, it often appears in phrases such as sigillate with the royal seal or sigillated documents, typically in discussions of historical diplomatic practices, archival descriptions, or palaeography.

Related terms include signet and seal, which refer to the objects used to create sigillations, and terra sigillata, a term from Roman pottery meaning “sealed earth,” reflecting the broader linguistic lineage of sigillum.

See also: seal, signet, Terra sigillata, sigillum.