unterzeichnet

Unterzeichnet is the past participle of the German verb unterzeichnen, meaning to sign a document or to endorse something formally. It is used to indicate that a document has been signed and appears in various grammatical constructions, including perfect tenses and the passive voice, and also as a participial adjective.

As a finite or non-finite form, unterzeichnen is conjugated as ein verbs with the prefix unter- and follows standard German verb endings: ich unterzeichne, du unterzeichnest, er unterzeichnet. In the perfect tense it appears with haben: ich habe den Vertrag unterzeichnet. In passive constructions one can say: der Vertrag ist/war unterzeichnet worden. When used attributively to describe a noun, the participle takes an adjective ending: die unterzeichnete Vereinbarung, das unterzeichnete Dokument, der unterzeichnete Vertrag.

In legal and business language, unterzeichnen is common for referring to the act of signing; documents often express that a text has been signed with phrases like "Der Vertrag wurde unterzeichnet" or reference the act with the noun der Unterzeichnung (the act of signing). In English translations, unterzeichnen is usually rendered as sign or sign off, and the participle as signed. Related terms include der Unterzeichner or die Unterzeichnerin (the signatory) and die Unterzeichnung (the signing or signature).

Etymology: The word combines unter- with zeichnen, historically implying signing beneath a line or space for a signature. The term has long been used in German legal and administrative contexts to mark that formal approval or agreement has occurred.