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.
The signatories committed to the pledge as part of their social and ethical responsibility, with an objective to ensure healthy and safe working environments that protect models’ dignity. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 Having crossed a historic milestone of 300 signatories, the International Accord is preparing for its next phase of factory safety and expansion. — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 This router has some robust security protocols, as TP-Link is a signatory of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Secure-by-Design pledge. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 Trump, at 80, is the oldest of all the signatories, followed by Huang, Musk and Pichai, in their 50s and 60s. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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
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