Word · Frequency #24196
signet
印章；图章
a seal, especially one used to mark documents officially
- 1.
a seal (especially one used to mark documents officially)
(尤用于正式文件的)印章
(尤用于正式文件的)印章；印；图章
In use
Before sending the decree, the king pressed his signet into the red wax.
The dealer noticed a small crack in the ancient signet.
Every official document had to carry the judge's signet.
the signet of [sb/sth]
作名词时指正式印章，常与 of 连用表示所属者。
The signet of the king made the decree official.
国王的印章使法令正式生效。
signet [document]
作动词时意为“盖章于”，是及物动词，后直接接文件等宾语。
The manager will signet the contract before noon.
经理将在中午前在合同上盖章。
Common mistakes
He stamped the document with signet.He stamped the document with a signet.
signet 是可数名词单数，前面需要不定冠词 a；汉语没有冠词，学习者容易漏掉。加上 a 后，句子指“用一枚图章盖章”。
The signet are on the desk.The signet is on the desk.
signet 是单数可数名词，作主语时谓语动词用单数 is；汉语动词没有单复数变化，所以容易误用 are。改为 is 使主谓一致。
She used a signet for to seal the envelope.She used a signet to seal the envelope.
英语中表目的的动词不定式是 to do，不能用 for to do；汉语“为了”容易让人误加 for。删去 for，保留 to seal 即可。
Connections
Collocations
- signet ring
- 印章戒指
- He wore a gold signet ring on his little finger.他小指上戴着一枚金印章戒指。
- royal signet
- 王室印玺
- The document bore the royal signet.这份文件盖有王室印玺。
- signet of the king
- 国王的印章
- The message was stamped with the signet of the king.这条消息盖有国王的印章。
- official signet
- 官方印章
- The treaty required the official signet to be valid.这份条约需要加盖官方印章才有效。
Pop culture & quotes
- I had my father's signet in my purse.
- 父亲的那枚印鉴就在我的钱袋里。In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet reveals he had his father's signet in his purse.在莎士比亚的《哈姆雷特》中，哈姆雷特透露他的钱袋里有父亲的印鉴。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
sign 是签名，-et 像小尾巴；签名用的小印章就是 signet（图章）。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：official document sealing、historical seals、jewelry/accessories signet 是较正式的用词，多用于历史、文书或正式场合；日常口语中很少单独使用，比较常见的是搭配 signet ring（印章戒指）。
Pronunciation & Spelling
Perfect homophone: cygnet /ˈsɪɡnɪt/. Signal and signature share the initial /ˈsɪɡn/ sound; magnet shares the written -gnet ending but has /æ/, so it does not rhyme. Look-alikes sign (/saɪn/, silent g) and ignite (/ɪɡˈnaɪt/, different stress and vowel) sound different.
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.