Dictionary definition(s) for: seal

• n., A piece of wax, lead or other material upon which an impression has been made and attached to a document or applied to the face thereof. Originally serving as a means of authentication of the author of a record and of the record itself.
  [ Archives - Dictionary of Archival Terminology ]
  International Council on Archives (ICA), Project Group on Terminology. Dictionary of Archival Terminology (DAT) III: English List (Draft)." 2004. Available online at http://www.staff.uni-marburg.de/~mennehar/datiii/intro.htm.
  See Also:

  • electronic seal
• n., A device for impressing characteristic marks into a soft surface, often to indicate ownership. Seals may be in the form of stamps or cylinder seals.
  [ Sciences - The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology ]
  The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Timothy Darvill. Oxford University Press, 2002. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of British Columbia. 4 August 2006 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t102.e3744
• n., A die or signet, having a raised or incised emblem used to stamp an impression upon a receptive substance such as wax or lead.
  [ Archives - A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology (The Society of American Archivists) ]
  Pearce-Moses, Richard. A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005. http://www.archivists.org/glossary/index.asp
• n., A die/matrix, usually of metal, engraved in intaglio with the device or design used to produce by the application of pressure a seal. Dies may be of one/sided design only or in pairs producing dissimilar designs simultaneously on each seal.
  [ Archives - Dictionary of Archival Terminology ]
  Dictionary of Archival Terminology. 2nd rev. ed. Edited by Peter Walne. New York: K.G. Saur, 1988.
• n., A piece of wax, lead or other material upon which an impression in relief from a seal has been made, attatched to a document or applied to the face thereof, originally serving as a means of authentication; also used to close a document.
  [ Archives - Dictionary of Archival Terminology ]
  Dictionary of Archival Terminology. 2nd rev. ed. Edited by Peter Walne. New York: K.G. Saur, 1988.
• n., A stamp, carved cylinder, signet ring, etc., used to make an impression in molten wax to secure a letter or other document, confirming the identity of the sender and/or the authenticity of the contents. Also refers to the impressed design or mark itself, a broken seal indicating that the document has been opened.
  [ Computer and Information Sciences - Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS) ]
  Reitz, Joan M. ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science . Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2004. http://lu.com/odlis/.
• v., a) To confirm or make secure by or as if by a seal. b) To solemnize for eternity.
  [ General Dictionaries - Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary ]
  Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA.: Merriam-Webster, 2003.
• n., Artifacts bearing monograms, writing, numbers, or designs in intaglio for making an impression in relief on some soft, tenacious substance such as clay or wax. They may be flat or cylindrical, the impression made by rolling the seal over the surface.
  [ Arts - Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) ]
  J. Paul Getty Trust. Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT). Los Angeles, CA: J. Paul Getty Trust, 2005. http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_reseach/vocabularies/aat/
• n., Die or signet, often in the form of a cylinder or ring, having a raised (cut) or incised (engraved) emblem, such as a heraldic device or monogram. A seal is used to stamp an impression on wax or lead as a means of authentication or to seal closed a document or letter.
  [ Arts - The Dictionary of Art ]
  The Dictionary of Art. Edited by Jane Turner. New York: Grove, 1996.
• n., Electronic Seal. Specific electronic means of authenticating a record or ensuring that it is only opened by the intended addressee. It is a distinct type of electronic signature.
  [ Archives - Template for Analysis , Page: 193 ]
  Authenticity Task Force. "Template for Analysis." Appendix 1 in The Long-term Preservation of Authentic Electronic Records: Findings of the InterPARES Project. Edited by Luciana Duranti. San Miniato, Italy: Archilab, 2005. Also available online at http://interpares.org/book.
• n., Wax impressed with a design and attached to any document as a sign of its authenticity; alternatively, an adhesive wafer or anything else intended to serve the purpose of a seal may be used.
  [ Government - A Dictionary of Law ]
  A Dictionary of Law. Ed. Elizabeth A. Martin. Oxford University Press, 2002. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of British Columbia. 4 August 2006 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t49.e3302