seal.
A pinniped (Pinnipedia), particularly an earless seal (true seal) or eared seal.
Meaning & usage
A pinniped (Pinnipedia), particularly an earless seal (true seal) or eared seal.
The seals in the harbor looked better than they smelled.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English sel, from an inflectional form of Old English seolh, from Proto-West Germanic *selh, from Proto-Germanic *selhaz (compare Scots selch,selkie, North Frisian selich, Middle Dutch seel, zēle, Old High German selah, Danish sæl, Middle Low German sale, Icelandic selur), either from Proto-Indo-European *selk- (“to pull”) (compare dialectal English sullow (“plough”)) or from early Proto-Finnic *šülkeš (later *hülgeh, compare dialectal Finnish hylki, standard hylje, Estonian hüljes).
To hunt seals.
They're organizing a protest against sealing.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English sel, from an inflectional form of Old English seolh, from Proto-West Germanic *selh, from Proto-Germanic *selhaz (compare Scots selch,selkie, North Frisian selich, Middle Dutch seel, zēle, Old High German selah, Danish sæl, Middle Low German sale, Icelandic selur), either from Proto-Indo-European *selk- (“to pull”) (compare dialectal English sullow (“plough”)) or from early Proto-Finnic *šülkeš (later *hülgeh, compare dialectal Finnish hylki, standard hylje, Estonian hüljes).
A stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax.
An impression of such stamp on wax, paper or other material used for sealing.
A facsimile of an impression of such stamp that is a mark or symbol of an office or organisation.
The front of the podium bore the presidential seal.
Anything that secures or authenticates.
Something which will be visibly damaged if a covering or container is opened, and which may or may not bear an official design.
The result was declared invalid, as the seal on the meter had been broken.
Confirmation or approval, or an indication of this.
Her clothes always had her mom's seal of approval.
Something designed to prevent liquids or gases from leaking through a joint.
The canister is leaking. I think the main seal needs to be replaced.
A tight closure, secure against leakage.
Close the lid tightly to get a good seal.
A chakra.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sek-? Proto-Indo-European *-nóm Proto-Italic *segnom Latin signum Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lum Latin sigillum Anglo-Norman seelbor. Middle English sel English seal Inherited from Middle English sel, sele, from Anglo-Norman seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (“sign”). Doublet of sigil and sigillum.
To place a seal on (a document).
To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, or merchantable quality.
to seal weights and measures
to seal silverware
To fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage.
The cover is sealed. If anyone tries to open it, we'll know about it.
To prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something).
The border has been sealed until the fugitives are found.
To close securely to prevent leakage.
I've sealed the bottle to keep the contents fresh.
To place in a sealed container.
I've sealed the documents in this envelope.
To place a notation of one's next move in a sealed envelope to be opened after an adjournment.
After thinking for half an hour, the champion sealed his move.
To guarantee.
The last-minute goal sealed United’s win.
seal one's destiny
To fix, as a piece of iron in a wall, with cement or plaster, etc.
To close by means of a seal.
to seal a drainpipe with water
To bind eternally as family members.
To form a sacred commitment.
To fry (meat) at a high temperature to retain the juices.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sek-? Proto-Indo-European *-nóm Proto-Italic *segnom Latin signum Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lum Latin sigillum Anglo-Norman seelbor. Middle English sel English seal Inherited from Middle English sel, sele, from Anglo-Norman seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (“sign”). Doublet of sigil and sigillum.
To tie up animals (especially cattle) in their stalls.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English *selen (suggested by Middle English sele (“harness; hame”)), perhaps from Old English sǣlan (“to bind”).
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.