signature
/ˈsɪgnətʃə(r)/noun
1
- a person's name written in a distinctive way as a form of identification in authorizing a cheque or document or concluding a letter署名, 签名。
1.1
- mass noun the action of signing a document（文件的）签字：
the licence was sent to the customer for signature.
特许证已经寄给客户签名。
1.2
- a distinctive pattern, product, or characteristic by which someone or something can be identified识别标志; 鲜明特色：
the chef produced the pâté that was his signature
厨师显示他的拿手馅饼
as modifier his signature dish.他的拿手好菜。
2
- Music short for KEY SIGNATURE or TIME SIGNATURE.【乐】KEY SIGNATURE或TIME SIGNATURE的简称。
3
- Printing a letter or figure printed at the foot of one or more pages of each sheet of a book as a guide in binding【印刷】折标
3.1
- a printed sheet after being folded to form a group of pages书贴。
4
- N. Amer. the part of a medical prescription that gives instructions about the use of the medicine or drug prescribed〈北美〉标记, 用法签（处方上说明药的用法的部分）。
词源
mid 16th cent. （as a Scots legal term， denoting a document presented by a writer to the Signet）： from medieval Latin signatura 'sign manual' (in late Latin denoting a marking on sheep)， from Latin signare 'to sign， mark'.