great seal: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Official
Quick answer
What does “great seal” mean?
The official seal of a sovereign state or its highest authority, used to authenticate documents of the highest importance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The official seal of a sovereign state or its highest authority, used to authenticate documents of the highest importance.
1. In a governmental context: a physical object (often a metal matrix) that creates an impression on wax or embossed paper, symbolizing ultimate state authority. 2. By extension: the concept or office responsible for this seal, and the authority it represents.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Conceptually identical. Specific designs and custodians differ (e.g., Lord Chancellor vs. Secretary of State). 'Seal' in British English can more commonly refer to the impression in wax, while American usage often refers to the device/matrix.
Connotations
Both carry connotations of ultimate state sovereignty, law, and the authentication of treaties, appointments, and proclamations.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to common reference to the Great Seal of the United States (e.g., on the one-dollar bill).
Grammar
How to Use “great seal” in a Sentence
[The] Great Seal + of + [Country/Realm][Verb] + the Great Seal + to + [Document]The + [Document] + was + sealed + with + the Great SealVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great seal” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The monarch ordered the Lord Chancellor to great-seal the treaty.
- The document was not valid until it had been great-sealed.
American English
- The Secretary of State will great-seal the proclamation.
- The appointment is official once the commission is great-sealed.
adverb
British English
- The treaty was executed great-seal (rare).
American English
- The land grant was authenticated great-seal (rare).
adjective
British English
- The great-seal authority is vested in the Crown.
- He held the great-seal office for a decade.
American English
- A great-seal document carries the full faith of the government.
- The great-seal impression is on the reverse.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; in high-level international contracts or treaties authenticated by state authority.
Academic
Used in history, political science, and law to discuss state authority, authentication, and diplomatic documents.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. Recognized from currency or historical documentaries.
Technical
Used in diplomacy, constitutional law, and heraldry to denote the highest authenticating instrument of state.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great seal”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great seal”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great seal”
- Using lowercase ('great seal') when referring to a specific national one.
- Omitting the definite article ('the') before 'Great Seal'.
- Confusing it with a corporate or organizational seal.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is an official seal (an engraved design pressed into wax or paper) that authenticates a document. A signature is handwritten. The Great Seal carries higher, more formal state authority.
The Lord Chancellor is the traditional Keeper of the Great Seal of the United Kingdom.
Physical matrices are often kept secure and are rarely displayed publicly. However, impressions (images) of the seal are widely reproduced on currency, official documents, and government websites.
'Seal' is generic (any stamp for authentication). 'Great Seal' (capitalized) is specific and refers to the principal seal of a sovereign state, used for the most important documents.
The official seal of a sovereign state or its highest authority, used to authenticate documents of the highest importance.
Great seal is usually formal, official in register.
Great seal: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈsiːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈsiːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The buck stops with the Great Seal.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: GREAT authority needs a GREAT SEAL to make it real.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE SEAL IS THE STATE (The physical object metaphorically embodies the power and legitimacy of the government).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a Great Seal?