Countersealed

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked with a second seal placed alongside the first to confirm that a document or package is genuine
2. Having been secured with an extra seal added as a counter-check on authenticity
3. Authenticated by a supplementary stamp or seal applied to verify an original seal

Etymology: "Countersealed" is a plain compound built from "counter-" and "seal," with no surprising detour in its history. The "counter-" prefix, taken from Latin "contra" through Old French, carries the sense of "against" or "in opposition," and in this case it means a second seal applied over or alongside an original one. The result is a document, packet or container that has been sealed twice, so that tampering would be harder to conceal. The core element, "seal," is an older and more physical word: it names the impressed device, often wax stamped with a signet ring, that closed a letter or package and proved its authenticity. Medieval and early modern documents depended on such marks, and a second seal was a practical way to add a layer of assurance. Because the word works by simple combination, its meaning can be read directly from its parts.