Etymology Map
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Resign

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to leave a job voluntarily

Where does the word "resign" come from? It comes from Latin resignare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
resignare
Latin · ancient
"to unseal, give up"
're-' plus 'signare', to seal
2
Stage 2 of 3
resigner
Old French · medieval
"to give up"
Latin 'resignare', to unseal, to cancel an entry in an account
3
Stage 3 of 3
resign
English · 1300s
"to give up office"
'resigned' to fate dates from the 1600s
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Read the full story

Resign’s story begins in Latin: resignare meant “to unseal, give up.” 're-' plus 'signare', to seal. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as resigner. Latin 'resignare', to unseal, to cancel an entry in an account. It reached English by 1300s as resign. 'resigned' to fate dates from the 1600s. Today, resign means to leave a job voluntarily.