Notaries

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Notary \No"ta*ry\, n.; pl. {Notaries}. [F. notaire, L. notarius
     notary (in sense 1), fr. nota mark. See 5th {Note}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. One who records in shorthand what is said or done; as, the
        notary of an ecclesiastical body.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Eng. & Am. Law) A public officer who attests or certifies
        deeds and other writings, or copies of them, usually under
        his official seal, to make them authentic, especially in
        foreign countries. His duties chiefly relate to
        instruments used in commercial transactions, such as
        protests of negotiable paper, ship's papers in cases of
        loss, damage, etc. He is generally called a {notary
        public}.
        [1913 Webster]