Signor
/siˈɲoːr/noun
A respectful Italian title equivalent to Mr. or sir.
Did you know?The word descends from Latin *senior* (“older”), showing how age once signaled authority and status long before modern titles became polite etiquette.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sen-
“older; old”
Latin
Latin
senior
“older; elder”
Old Italian
Ital
signore
“lord; master; sir”
Italian
Ital
signor
“mister; sir”
Modern English
English
signor
“a respectful Italian title for a man”