plural signatories
: a signer with another or others
signatories to a petition
especially : a government bound with others by a signed convention
signatory adjective

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A signatory puts his or her signature on a document that is also signed by others. In 1215 the English barons revolted against King John and forced him to join them as a signatory to the Magna Carta. This agreement stated the barons' own duties to the King but also assigned the barons clear rights and limited the King's power over them. Though the Magna Carta did nothing for the common people, it's often been called the first step toward democracy in the English-speaking countries.

Examples of signatory in a Sentence

a signatory of the Declaration of Independence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Naturally, he’s promptly kicked out of the festivities and, in turn, no longer a signatory of the historical document. Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025 The letter has 10 anonymous signatories from the BBC. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025 The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, of which the United States is a signatory, considers any treaties that violate the prohibition on aggression to be null and void. Janina Dill, Foreign Affairs, 26 Feb. 2025 Among the signatories was Jack Smith, the former special counsel whose office charged President Donald Trump in connection to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and Trump's hoarding of classified documents. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for signatory

Word History

Etymology

Latin signatorius of sealing, from signare

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of signatory was in 1826

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Cite this Entry

“Signatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signatory. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

Legal Definition

signatory

noun
plural signatories
: a signer with another or others
signatories to a petition
especially : a government bound with others by a signed convention
signatory adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on signatory

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