John Hancock

noun

John Han·​cock ˈjän-ˈhan-ˌkäk How to pronounce John Hancock (audio)
: an autograph signature

Examples of John Hancock in a Sentence

let me just scribble my John Hancock on the bottom of the form
Recent Examples on the Web In a letter requesting permission from the commanding British officer, John Hancock, then the speaker of the Massachusetts House, made no mention of the recent battle. Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024 Other notable autographs featured in the sale include George Washington, John Hancock, Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill and Mohandas Gandhi. Nancy Olson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024 Where to Stay While there’s no shortage of historic figures that have called Boston home—Samuel Adams, John Hancock and John Adams, to name a few—one person in particular has earned widespread recognition across all the nation. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Meet-and-greets: Head to Autograph Alley on the right field concourse for your best shot at getting your favorite player’s John Hancock. Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 19 Feb. 2024 Take a walk on the Freedom Trail, the 2.5-mile-long route which will take you by Old South Meeting House where the patriots met and debated, the Granary Burying Ground where patriots including John Hancock, Paul Revere and Sam Adams are buried. Eileen Ogintz, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2023 The committee found that John Hancock sells the most PPLI policies, nearly a third of the market, with the average policy conferring more than $3 million in death benefits. Julie Zauzmer Weil, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024 For a bigger yield, look to the John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (PDT) and its incredible 9.1% payout, which also trades at a rare discount. PDT once traded at a more than 20% premium, and double-digit premiums haven’t been unheard of in recent years. Michael Foster, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Laura Linney | Credit: Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images In a video posted to TikTok, Linney can be seen exiting the Christian Siriano show when a man seeking a John Hancock from the Emmy-winning John Adams star approaches her. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'John Hancock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

John Hancock; from the prominence of his signature on the Declaration of Independence

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of John Hancock was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near John Hancock

Cite this Entry

“John Hancock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/John%20Hancock. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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