signature

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French signature, or from Medieval Latin signātūra, future active periphrastic of verb signāre (“to sign”) from signum (“sign”), + -tūra, feminine of -tūrus, future active periphrastic suffix. Displaced native Old English handseten (literally “hand setting”).

noun

1. A person's name, written by that person, used as identification or to signify approval of accompanying material, such as a legal contract.
2. An act of signing one's name; an act of producing a signature.
   IN COMMENTS during signature of the bill yesterday during “Agriculture Day” at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thompson agreed with farmers that land needs to be protected. 1977, Illinois Information Service, Press Summary - Illinois Information Service, page 4287
   [She ate with herself] during the whole evening, during supper, during her signature of unintelligible papers at her father's desk, when he told her gruffly that she would now have an income of £350 a year minus income tax, which would return to her in some mysterious way […] 2011, Winifred Holtby, The Crowded Street, Virago
3. (medicine) The part of a doctor’s prescription containing directions for the patient.
4. (music) Signs on the stave indicating key and tempo, composed of the key signature and the time signature.
5. (printing) A group of four (or a multiple of four) sheets printed such that, when folded, they become a section of a book.
6. (computing) A pattern used for matching the identity of a virus, the parameter types of a method, etc.
7. (cryptography) Data attached to a message that guarantees that the message originated from its claimed source.
8. (figurative) A mark or sign of implication.
   The TACOM Vehicle Signature Reduction program is concerned with reducing the noise signature detectability of military vehicles in combat. 1975, United States. Office of Noise Abatement and Control, First Report on Status and Progress of Noise Research and Control Programs in the Federal Government, volume 1, pages 6–13
   A “signature” was placed on all things by God to indicate their affinities — but it was hidden, hence the search for arcane knowledge. Knowing was guessing and interpreting, not observing or demonstrating. 1997, Chris Horrocks, Introducing Foucault, Totem Books, Icon Books, The Renaissance Episteme, page 67
9. A dish that is characteristic of a particular chef.
   A great beginning is the goose-liver terrine with truffles, one of the chef's signatures. 2000, Darwin Porter, Danforth Prince, Frommer's Rome 2001, page 97
10. (mathematics) A tuple specifying the sign of coefficients in any diagonal form of a quadratic form.
11. (medicine, obsolete) A resemblance between the external character of a disease and those of some physical agent, for instance, that existing between the red skin of scarlet fever and a red cloth; supposed to indicate this agent in the treatment of the disease.
12. (Internet) Text (or images, etc.) appended to a user's emails, newsgroup posts, forum posts, etc. as a way of adding a personal touch or including contact details.
    Your signature must not exceed three lines of text, or 600 pixels in height.
    forum signature generator

adj

1. Distinctive, characteristic, indicative of identity.
   Rabbit in mustard sauce is my signature dish.
   The signature route of the airline is its daily flight between Buenos Aires and Madrid.
   Consider Las Fallas of Valencia, Spain, arguably the most signature of signature ephemera. 2001, Lawrence J. Vale, Sam Bass Warner, Imaging the city: continuing struggles and new directions
   Considered the most signature effect of the Tudor Revival style, half-timbering derived its distinctive[…]. 2005, Paul Duchscherer, Linda Svendsen, Beyond the bungalow: grand homes in the arts & crafts tradition
   But it was perhaps the most signature shot Williams ever made in an Illinois uniform, a bullying basket in which he used his power to pound Stoudamire,[…]. 2005, Brett Dawson, Tales from the 2004-05 Fighting Illini
   He credited his wife, who is British, for giving him the inspiration for Tigger’s signature phrase: TTFN. TA-TA for now. 2005, CBS News website, Paul Winchell Dead At Age 82