privy seal

noun

1

: a private seal: such as

a

: a British royal seal used before 1885 to authorize use of the great seal (as on letters patent or pardons) or on documents not requiring the great seal (as discharges of debts)

b

: a seal used in Scotland to authenticate royal grants of personal or assignable rights

2

: a document bearing a privy seal

especially : a warrant used by English monarchs in Stuart and earlier periods to exact a forced loan

3

usually capitalized P&S : lord privy seal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prive seal, from prive privy + seal

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