cosignatory: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Advanced)Formal
Quick answer
What does “cosignatory” mean?
A person, country, or organization that signs a document jointly with others, especially a treaty, agreement, or petition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, country, or organization that signs a document jointly with others, especially a treaty, agreement, or petition.
An entity that shares legal responsibility by virtue of adding their signature to a formal document, often used in legal, diplomatic, and financial contexts to denote collective endorsement or commitment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties. Spelling is consistent; no 'co-signatory' vs. 'cosignatory' divide. The hyphenated form 'co-signatory' is occasionally seen but the closed form is standard.
Connotations
Formal, legal, diplomatic. No regional connotative differences.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both UK and US English, confined to specific professional domains.
Grammar
How to Use “cosignatory” in a Sentence
cosignatory of [treaty]cosignatory to [agreement]act as a cosignatorylist of cosignatoriesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cosignatory” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The allied nations agreed to cosign the treaty.
American English
- The banks will cosign the loan documents.
adjective
British English
- The cosignatory powers issued a joint statement.
American English
- They listed all cosignatory nations in the appendix.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to parties jointly signing a loan agreement or a major corporate contract.
Academic
Used in political science and international relations regarding treaties.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might appear in news about international agreements.
Technical
Standard term in legal and diplomatic language.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cosignatory”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cosignatory”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cosignatory”
- Misspelling: 'cosignitory', 'cosignatery'.
- Using it to mean simply 'supporter' without the formal act of signing.
- Confusing with 'cosigner', which is more common for personal loans.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are very close synonyms. 'Cosigner' is more common in everyday financial contexts (e.g., a loan), while 'cosignatory' feels more formal and is typical in legal, diplomatic, or official documents.
The standard verb is 'cosign'. 'Cosignatory' is primarily a noun (and an adjective). You 'cosign' a document and thereby become a 'cosignatory'.
A 'signatory' is any party that signs a document. A 'cosignatory' is one of several parties signing the *same* document, emphasizing the joint nature of the action. All cosignatories are signatories, but not all signatories are cosignatories (if they sign separately).
While sometimes seen, major dictionaries and style guides (Oxford, Merriam-Webster) prefer the closed form 'cosignatory'. The hyphenated form is not incorrect but is less standard.
A person, country, or organization that signs a document jointly with others, especially a treaty, agreement, or petition.
Cosignatory is usually formal in register.
Cosignatory: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkəʊˈsɪɡnətri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkoʊˈsɪɡnətɔːri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be a cosignatory to history (figurative, rare)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'CO-' (together) + 'SIGNATORY' (signer) = a fellow signer.
Conceptual Metaphor
SIGNING IS COMMITTING (The act of placing a signature metaphorically binds the entity).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'cosignatory' MOST appropriately used?