sealing wax

American  

noun

1. a resinous preparation, soft when heated, used for sealing letters, documents, etc.

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sealing wax British  

noun

1. a hard material made of shellac, turpentine, and pigment that softens when heated. It is used for sealing documents, parcels, letters, etc

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Etymology

Origin of sealing wax

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Example Sentences

I applied sealing wax and dropped it in a mailbox.

From New York Times

A fingerprint has been detected on sealing wax.

From New York Times

But gallery director Massimo Ferrari is confident the original has been found, because stamps and sealing wax on the back of the painting are the originals.

From BBC

By the 1950s it appeared fountain pens would go the way of sealing wax and vinyl records.

From Los Angeles Times

The principle still applies, even though sealing wax and Queen’s messengers have been replaced by encrypted emails.

From The Guardian