A substance used to block the passage of air, water, or other fluids through gaps or joints.
From 'seal' + '-ant' suffix, where 'seal' comes from Old French 'seel' meaning 'mark, stamp,' from Latin 'sigillum' (little sign, signet). The surprise is that 'sealant' is named after signet rings and royal stamps! The original meaning of 'seal' had nothing to do with waterproofing — it meant the wax impression made by a king's ring to authenticate documents. The meaning shifted because both wax seals and modern sealants serve the same function: creating an impermeable barrier.
The sealant you use around windows gets its name from medieval kings pressing their signet rings into hot wax to 'seal' official documents. Both royal seals and modern sealants create barriers that can't be broken without obvious evidence — whether it's tamper-proof documents or waterproof joints.
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