skippet

skippet

A royal clerk places the official seal into its protective skippet.

Definition
  1. Noun (historical):
    • A small box, case, or container used to hold a seal or official stamp, especially in medieval times.
    • A receptacle for preserving a seal matrix or an impression of a seal, often made of metal or wood and used by officials, monarchs, or institutions to authenticate documents.
Usage Examples
  • (A container for the official seal.)
  • (A small box for a seal impression.)
Advanced Usage
  • "skippet of the seal": a specific reference to the container for a particular official seal.
    • The bishop's skippet of the seal was lost during the invasion. (The case holding the bishop's seal.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Skippet (n) — no common variants; the word is largely obsolete in modern English except in historical contexts.
  • Seal (n): a stamp or mark used for authentication.
    • The document bore the king's seal. (The official stamp.)
Synonyms
  • Seal box: a small container for a seal.
  • Seal case: a protective case for a seal.
  • Matrix box: a box for holding a seal matrix (the engraved stamp used to make impressions).
Related Idioms
  • Under seal: officially authenticated with a seal (not directly involving "skippet" but related to its function).
    • The treaty was signed under seal. (The document was officially authenticated with a seal.)
Notes on Usage
  • "Skippet" is a rare, archaic term primarily found in historical writings about medieval administration, heraldry, or antiquarian studies. It is not used in everyday modern English.