seignior n.

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "old."

It forms all or part of: monseigneur; seignior; senate; senescent; seneschal; senicide; senile; senility; senior; seniority; senor; senora; senorita; shanachie; Shannon; signor; sir; sire; surly.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit sanah "old;" Avestan hana- "old," Old Persian hanata- "old age, lapse of time;" Armenian hin "old;" Greek enos "old, of last year;" Latin senilis "of old age," senex "old, old man;" Lithuanian senas "old," senis "an old man;" Gothic sineigs "old" (used only of persons), sinistra "elder, senior;" Old Norse sina "dry standing grass from the previous year;" Old Irish sen, Old Welsh hen "old."

in French history, "feudal landowner," 1590s, from French seigneur, from Old French seignor (see seignior). Related: Seigneuress; seigneurial.

also seignorage, "something claimed by a sovereign or superior as a prerpgative," mid-15c., from Old French seignorage, from seignor (see seignior). In the sense of "lordship, power, control, authority" English had seigniory (Middle English seignorie, c. 1300, from Old French).