signature

/ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)/

//ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"signature" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“signature” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,713. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,713
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person's name, written by that person, used as identification or to signify approval of accompanying material, such as a legal contract.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

signature vs signatory
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for signature
PropertyValue
Headwordsignature
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)/
Letters9
Frequency rank#4,713
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “signature” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). signature lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around signature (IPA /ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #4,713 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 12 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for signature, with forms such as "isgnature", "sginature", and "siganture". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "signatory", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French signature, or from Medieval Latin signātūra, future active periphrastic of verb signāre from signum (“sign”), + -tūra, feminine of -tūrus, future active periphrastic suffix. Displaced native Old English handseten (literally “hand… The correct English form is signature, spelled S-I-G-N-A-T-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 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. 2
    An act of signing one's name; an act of producing a signature.
  3. 3
    The part of a doctor’s prescription containing directions for the patient.
  4. 4
    Signs on the stave indicating key and tempo, composed of the key signature and the time signature.
  5. 5
    A group of four (or a multiple of four) sheets printed such that, when folded, they become a section of a book.
  6. 6
    A pattern used for matching the identity of a virus, the parameter types of a method, etc.
  7. 7
    Data attached to a message that guarantees that the message originated from its claimed source.
  8. 8
    A mark or sign of implication.
  9. 9
    A distinguishing feature or product.
  10. 10
    A tuple specifying the sign of coefficients in any diagonal form of a quadratic form.
  11. 11
    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. 12
    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.

Etymology

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

This word in other languages

firma(Español)signature(Français)Unterschrift(Deutsch)firma(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • isgnature
  • sginature
  • siganture
  • siggnature
  • signatrue
  • signatture
  • signatuer
  • signaturre
  • signautre
  • signnature
  • signtaure
  • singature
  • ssignature

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of signature - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

isgnature2sginature2siganture2siggnature1signatrue2signatture1signatuer2signaturre1
Edit distance from "signature"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "signature"?
"signature" is spelled S-I-G-N-A-T-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)/.
What does "signature" mean?
As a noun, "signature" means: A person's name, written by that person, used as identification or to signify approval of accompanying material, such as a legal contract.
What words are commonly confused with "signature"?
"signature" is commonly confused with "signatory". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "signature"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "signature" is /ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "signature"?
Borrowed from Middle French signature, or from Medieval Latin signātūra, future active periphrastic of verb signāre from signum (“sign”), + -tūra, feminine of -tūrus, future active periphrastic suffix. Displaced native Old English handseten (liter... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “signature”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-I-G-N-A-T-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪɡnət͡ʃə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “signatory” - see the side-by-side comparison. signature vs signatory
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list