indorse

English

Etymology

Alteration influenced by Medieval Latin indorsare of Middle English endosse, from Old French endosser (“to put on back”), from Latin dossum, alternative form of dorsum (“back”), from which also dorsal (“of the back”). That is, the ‘r’ was dropped in Latin dossum, which developed into Old French and then Middle English endosse, and then the ‘r’ was re-introduced into English via the Medieval Latin indorsare, which had retained the ‘r’; at the same time the ‘e’ (French) was changed to ‘i’ (Latin) (in-, rather than en-). Note that the alternative form endorse is now more common, retaining the restored ‘r’ but reverting to the initial ‘e’, rather than the Latinate ‘i’.

Verb

indorse (third-person singular simple present indorses, present participle indorsing, simple past and past participle indorsed)

1. Archaic spelling of endorse.

Derived terms

• indorsable
• indorsation
• indorsee
• indorsement
• indorsor
• unindorsed

Legal meaning

“Indorse" (or its more common and modern form, "endorse") can have different legal meanings depending on its context, including: (1) being signed or authorized; (2) the act of signing; or (3) a notice of the nature of a claim, the cause thereof, and of the relief sought in the action.

Anagrams

• Nordies, dronies, ordines, sordine, siredon, rosined, ride-ons