rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: signare
Latin

signare

mark, indicate, or designate

Forms

  • signare
  • signat- — The form used for completed action.

Origin

Formed from Latin signum, “mark or sign.”

Note

Making a mark can serve identification, authorization, or assignment.

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At an official registration table, a clerk places one contestant into a specific group with matching uniforms while other contestants remain in separate groups, making the assigned classification visible.
noun

designation

dez-ig-NAY-shuhn/ˌdezɪɡˈneɪʃn/

An official naming for a category or purpose.

Etymology
deLatindown, away; removal
+signLatinmark, indicate, or designate
+ationLatinan action, process, or result

The pieces describe an act of “marking out.” This became selecting and appointing, while the naming sense identifies someone or something through a descriptive label, title, or occupation.

Full entry

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