noun

seal

seal, stamp, emblem

We saw a seal on the beach.

We saw a seal on the beach.

The letter had a wax seal.

The letter had a wax seal.

a seal (animal) We saw a seal on the beach.

a seal (on sth.) (a mark or closure) The letter had a wax seal.

Synonyms: (animal) sea lion; (stamp) stamp, emblem

The animal name comes from Old English 'seolh'. The 'stamp' meaning comes from Old French 'seel'. They have different origins.

Imagine a seal (the animal) balancing a letter with a wax seal (the stamp) on its nose to remember both meanings.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.