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Definition of chaffwax

chaffwax

/ˈtʃæfˌwæks/
chaff · wax
Plural:chaffwaxes
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chaffwax Lexical Profile

• noun

1

British An obsolete English legal officer under the Lord Chancellor whose primary duty was to heat and prepare the wax used for sealing royal or official documents.

Example

"Before the office was abolished in the mid-nineteenth century, the chaffwax played a small but essential role in the physical validation of royal decrees."

• Nearby Words

chaenomeles
chafewax
chaffinch
chaffwax
chaffweed
chai
chain

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from Middle English 'chafe' (to heat or warm) combined with 'wax'. The term refers literally to the heating of beeswax to create official seals. The office was formally abolished in the United Kingdom by the Court of Chancery Act 1852.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Chaffwax. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 19, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/chaffwax
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