diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.cc
index be6498a74c6..88832252e19 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.cc
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ void RegisterScalarOptions(FunctionRegistry* registry) {
 
 SCALAR_ARITHMETIC_UNARY(AbsoluteValue, "abs", "abs_checked")
 SCALAR_ARITHMETIC_UNARY(Negate, "negate", "negate_checked")
+SCALAR_EAGER_UNARY(Sign, "sign")
 SCALAR_ARITHMETIC_UNARY(Sin, "sin", "sin_checked")
 SCALAR_ARITHMETIC_UNARY(Cos, "cos", "cos_checked")
 SCALAR_ARITHMETIC_UNARY(Asin, "asin", "asin_checked")
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.h b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.h
index f0aebc8e032..2be289a4720 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/api_scalar.h
@@ -513,6 +513,15 @@ Result<Datum> MinElementWise(
     ElementWiseAggregateOptions options = ElementWiseAggregateOptions::Defaults(),
     ExecContext* ctx = NULLPTR);
 
+/// \brief Get the sign of a value. Array values can be of arbitrary length. If argument
+/// is null the result will be null.
+///
+/// \param[in] arg the value to extract sign from
+/// \param[in] ctx the function execution context, optional
+/// \return the elementwise sign function
+ARROW_EXPORT
+Result<Datum> Sign(const Datum& arg, ExecContext* ctx = NULLPTR);
+
 /// \brief Compare a numeric array with a scalar.
 ///
 /// \param[in] left datum to compare, must be an Array
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic.cc
index db73294e1fa..28904bdbfa0 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic.cc
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@
 #include <limits>
 #include <utility>
 
+#include "arrow/compute/kernels/codegen_internal.h"
 #include "arrow/compute/kernels/common.h"
 #include "arrow/compute/kernels/util_internal.h"
+#include "arrow/type.h"
 #include "arrow/type_traits.h"
 #include "arrow/util/decimal.h"
 #include "arrow/util/int_util_internal.h"
@@ -462,6 +464,23 @@ struct PowerChecked {
   }
 };
 
+struct Sign {
+  template <typename T, typename Arg>
+  static constexpr enable_if_floating_point<T> Call(KernelContext*, Arg arg, Status*) {
+    return std::isnan(arg) ? arg : ((arg == 0) ? 0 : (std::signbit(arg) ? -1 : 1));
+  }
+
+  template <typename T, typename Arg>
+  static constexpr enable_if_unsigned_integer<T> Call(KernelContext*, Arg arg, Status*) {
+    return arg > 0;
+  }
+
+  template <typename T, typename Arg>
+  static constexpr enable_if_signed_integer<T> Call(KernelContext*, Arg arg, Status*) {
+    return (arg > 0) ? 1 : ((arg == 0) ? 0 : -1);
+  }
+};
+
 // Bitwise operations
 
 struct BitWiseNot {
@@ -1033,6 +1052,37 @@ void AddDecimalBinaryKernels(const std::string& name,
   DCHECK_OK((*func)->AddKernel({in_type256, in_type256}, out_type, exec256));
 }
 
+// Generate a kernel given an arithmetic functor
+template <template <typename...> class KernelGenerator, typename OutType, typename Op>
+ArrayKernelExec GenerateArithmeticWithFixedIntOutType(detail::GetTypeId get_id) {
+  switch (get_id.id) {
+    case Type::INT8:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, Int8Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::UINT8:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, UInt8Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::INT16:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, Int16Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::UINT16:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, UInt16Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::INT32:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, Int32Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::UINT32:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, UInt32Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::INT64:
+    case Type::TIMESTAMP:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, Int64Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::UINT64:
+      return KernelGenerator<OutType, UInt64Type, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::FLOAT:
+      return KernelGenerator<FloatType, FloatType, Op>::Exec;
+    case Type::DOUBLE:
+      return KernelGenerator<DoubleType, DoubleType, Op>::Exec;
+    default:
+      DCHECK(false);
+      return ExecFail;
+  }
+}
+
 struct ArithmeticFunction : ScalarFunction {
   using ScalarFunction::ScalarFunction;
 
@@ -1142,6 +1192,21 @@ std::shared_ptr<ScalarFunction> MakeUnaryArithmeticFunction(std::string name,
   return func;
 }
 
+// Like MakeUnaryArithmeticFunction, but for unary arithmetic ops with a fixed
+// output type for integral inputs.
+template <typename Op, typename IntOutType>
+std::shared_ptr<ScalarFunction> MakeUnaryArithmeticFunctionWithFixedIntOutType(
+    std::string name, const FunctionDoc* doc) {
+  auto int_out_ty = TypeTraits<IntOutType>::type_singleton();
+  auto func = std::make_shared<ArithmeticFunction>(name, Arity::Unary(), doc);
+  for (const auto& ty : NumericTypes()) {
+    auto out_ty = arrow::is_floating(ty->id()) ? ty : int_out_ty;
+    auto exec = GenerateArithmeticWithFixedIntOutType<ScalarUnary, IntOutType, Op>(ty);
+    DCHECK_OK(func->AddKernel({ty}, out_ty, exec));
+  }
+  return func;
+}
+
 // Like MakeUnaryArithmeticFunction, but for arithmetic ops that need to run
 // only on non-null output.
 template <typename Op>
@@ -1318,6 +1383,13 @@ const FunctionDoc pow_checked_doc{
      "or integer overflow is encountered."),
     {"base", "exponent"}};
 
+const FunctionDoc sign_doc{
+    "Get the signedness of the arguments element-wise",
+    ("Output is any of (-1,1) for nonzero inputs and 0 for zero input.\n"
+     "NaN values return NaN.  Integral values return signedness as Int8 and\n"
+     "floating-point values return it with the same type as the input values."),
+    {"x"}};
+
 const FunctionDoc bit_wise_not_doc{
     "Bit-wise negate the arguments element-wise", ("Null values return null."), {"x"}};
 
@@ -1579,6 +1651,11 @@ void RegisterScalarArithmetic(FunctionRegistry* registry) {
       MakeArithmeticFunctionNotNull<PowerChecked>("power_checked", &pow_checked_doc);
   DCHECK_OK(registry->AddFunction(std::move(power_checked)));
 
+  // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  auto sign =
+      MakeUnaryArithmeticFunctionWithFixedIntOutType<Sign, Int8Type>("sign", &sign_doc);
+  DCHECK_OK(registry->AddFunction(std::move(sign)));
+
   // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Bitwise functions
   {
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic_test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic_test.cc
index e37fb93fac2..a495b00a171 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/compute/kernels/scalar_arithmetic_test.cc
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class TestUnaryArithmetic : public TestBase {
     return *arrow::MakeScalar(type_singleton(), value);
   }
 
-  // (Scalar)
+  // (Scalar, Scalar)
   void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, CType argument, CType expected) {
     auto arg = MakeScalar(argument);
     auto exp = MakeScalar(expected);
@@ -74,34 +74,42 @@ class TestUnaryArithmetic : public TestBase {
     AssertScalarsApproxEqual(*exp, *actual.scalar(), /*verbose=*/true);
   }
 
-  // (Scalar)
+  // (Scalar, Scalar)
   void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, const std::shared_ptr<Scalar>& arg,
                      const std::shared_ptr<Scalar>& expected) {
     ASSERT_OK_AND_ASSIGN(auto actual, func(arg, options_, nullptr));
     AssertScalarsApproxEqual(*expected, *actual.scalar(), /*verbose=*/true);
   }
 
-  // (Array)
-  void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, const std::string& argument,
-                     const std::string& expected) {
-    auto arg = ArrayFromJSON(type_singleton(), argument);
+  // (JSON, JSON)
+  void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, const std::string& arg_json,
+                     const std::string& expected_json) {
+    auto arg = ArrayFromJSON(type_singleton(), arg_json);
+    auto expected = ArrayFromJSON(type_singleton(), expected_json);
     AssertUnaryOp(func, arg, expected);
   }
 
-  // (Array)
+  // (Array, JSON)
   void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, const std::shared_ptr<Array>& arg,
                      const std::string& expected_json) {
     const auto expected = ArrayFromJSON(type_singleton(), expected_json);
-    return AssertUnaryOp(func, arg, expected);
+    AssertUnaryOp(func, arg, expected);
   }
 
-  // (Array)
+  // (JSON, Array)
+  void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, const std::string& arg_json,
+                     const std::shared_ptr<Array>& expected) {
+    auto arg = ArrayFromJSON(type_singleton(), arg_json);
+    AssertUnaryOp(func, arg, expected);
+  }
+
+  // (Array, Array)
   void AssertUnaryOp(UnaryFunction func, const std::shared_ptr<Array>& arg,
                      const std::shared_ptr<Array>& expected) {
-    ASSERT_OK_AND_ASSIGN(Datum actual, func(arg, options_, nullptr));
+    ASSERT_OK_AND_ASSIGN(auto actual, func(arg, options_, nullptr));
     ValidateAndAssertApproxEqual(actual.make_array(), expected);
 
-    // Also check (Scalar) operations
+    // Also check (Scalar, Scalar) operations
     const int64_t length = expected->length();
     for (int64_t i = 0; i < length; ++i) {
       const auto expected_scalar = *expected->GetScalar(i);
@@ -1024,7 +1032,8 @@ TEST(TestBinaryArithmetic, AddWithImplicitCastsUint64EdgeCase) {
 }
 
 TEST(TestUnaryArithmetic, DispatchBest) {
-  for (std::string name : {"negate", "abs", "abs_checked"}) {
+  // All arithmetic
+  for (std::string name : {"negate", "abs", "abs_checked", "sign"}) {
     for (const auto& ty : {int8(), int16(), int32(), int64(), uint8(), uint16(), uint32(),
                            uint64(), float32(), float64()}) {
       CheckDispatchBest(name, {ty}, {ty});
@@ -1032,6 +1041,7 @@ TEST(TestUnaryArithmetic, DispatchBest) {
     }
   }
 
+  // Signed arithmetic
   for (std::string name : {"negate_checked"}) {
     for (const auto& ty : {int8(), int16(), int32(), int64(), float32(), float64()}) {
       CheckDispatchBest(name, {ty}, {ty});
@@ -1039,7 +1049,8 @@ TEST(TestUnaryArithmetic, DispatchBest) {
     }
   }
 
-  for (std::string name : {"negate", "negate_checked", "abs", "abs_checked"}) {
+  // Null input
+  for (std::string name : {"negate", "negate_checked", "abs", "abs_checked", "sign"}) {
     CheckDispatchFails(name, {null()});
   }
 
@@ -1973,5 +1984,70 @@ TYPED_TEST(TestUnaryArithmeticSigned, Log) {
   this->AssertUnaryOpRaises(Log1p, "[-2]", "logarithm of negative number");
 }
 
+TYPED_TEST(TestUnaryArithmeticSigned, Sign) {
+  using CType = typename TestFixture::CType;
+  auto min = std::numeric_limits<CType>::min();
+  auto max = std::numeric_limits<CType>::max();
+
+  // N.B. TestUnaryArithmetic expects a function with ArithmeticOptions as its
+  // second parameter
+  auto sign = [](const Datum& arg, ArithmeticOptions, ExecContext* ctx) {
+    return Sign(arg, ctx);
+  };
+
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[null]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[null]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[1, null, -10]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[1, null, -1]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[0]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[0]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[1, 10, 127]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[1, 1, 1]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[-1, -10, -127]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[-1, -1, -1]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, this->MakeScalar(min), *arrow::MakeScalar(int8(), -1));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, this->MakeScalar(max), *arrow::MakeScalar(int8(), 1));
+}
+
+TYPED_TEST(TestUnaryArithmeticUnsigned, Sign) {
+  using CType = typename TestFixture::CType;
+  auto min = std::numeric_limits<CType>::min();
+  auto max = std::numeric_limits<CType>::max();
+
+  // N.B. TestUnaryArithmetic expects a function with ArithmeticOptions as its
+  // second parameter
+  auto sign = [](const Datum& arg, ArithmeticOptions, ExecContext* ctx) {
+    return Sign(arg, ctx);
+  };
+
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[null]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[null]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[1, null, 10]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[1, null, 1]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[0]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[0]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[1, 10, 127]", ArrayFromJSON(int8(), "[1, 1, 1]"));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, this->MakeScalar(min), *arrow::MakeScalar(int8(), 0));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, this->MakeScalar(max), *arrow::MakeScalar(int8(), 1));
+}
+
+TYPED_TEST(TestUnaryArithmeticFloating, Sign) {
+  using CType = typename TestFixture::CType;
+  auto min = std::numeric_limits<CType>::lowest();
+  auto max = std::numeric_limits<CType>::max();
+
+  this->SetNansEqual(true);
+
+  // N.B. TestUnaryArithmetic expects a function with ArithmeticOptions as its
+  // second parameter
+  auto sign = [](const Datum& arg, ArithmeticOptions, ExecContext* ctx) {
+    return Sign(arg, ctx);
+  };
+
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[]", "[]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[null]", "[null]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[1.3, null, -10.80]", "[1, null, -1]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[0.0, -0.0]", "[0, 0]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[1.3, 10.80, 12748.001]", "[1, 1, 1]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[-1.3, -10.80, -12748.001]", "[-1, -1, -1]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[Inf, -Inf]", "[1, -1]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, "[NaN]", "[NaN]");
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, this->MakeScalar(min), this->MakeScalar(-1));
+  this->AssertUnaryOp(sign, this->MakeScalar(max), this->MakeScalar(1));
+}
 }  // namespace compute
 }  // namespace arrow
diff --git a/docs/source/cpp/compute.rst b/docs/source/cpp/compute.rst
index 6ce808aba67..dc88d9645c3 100644
--- a/docs/source/cpp/compute.rst
+++ b/docs/source/cpp/compute.rst
@@ -258,41 +258,43 @@ Input(s) will be cast to the :ref:`common numeric type <common-numeric-type>`
 (and dictionary decoded, if applicable) before the operation is applied.
 
 The default variant of these functions does not detect overflow (the result
-then typically wraps around).  Each function is also available in an
+then typically wraps around).  Most functions are also available in an
 overflow-checking variant, suffixed ``_checked``, which returns
 an ``Invalid`` :class:`Status` when overflow is detected.
 
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| Function name    | Arity  | Input types    | Output type    | Notes |
-+==================+========+================+================+=======+
-| abs              | Unary  | Numeric        | Numeric        |       |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| abs_checked      | Unary  | Numeric        | Numeric        |       |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| add              | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| add_checked      | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| divide           | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| divide_checked   | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| multiply         | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| multiply_checked | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| negate           | Unary  | Numeric        | Numeric        |       |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| negate_checked   | Unary  | Signed Numeric | Signed Numeric |       |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| power            | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        |       |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| power_checked    | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        |       |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| subtract         | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
-| subtract_checked | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric        | \(1)  |
-+------------------+--------+----------------+----------------+-------+
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| Function name    | Arity  | Input types    | Output type          | Notes |
++==================+========+================+======================+=======+
+| abs              | Unary  | Numeric        | Numeric              |       |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| abs_checked      | Unary  | Numeric        | Numeric              |       |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| add              | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| add_checked      | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| divide           | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| divide_checked   | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| multiply         | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| multiply_checked | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| negate           | Unary  | Numeric        | Numeric              |       |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| negate_checked   | Unary  | Signed Numeric | Signed Numeric       |       |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| power            | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              |       |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| power_checked    | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              |       |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| sign             | Unary  | Numeric        | Int8/Float32/Float64 | \(2)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| subtract         | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
+| subtract_checked | Binary | Numeric        | Numeric              | \(1)  |
++------------------+--------+----------------+----------------------+-------+
 
 * \(1) Precision and scale of computed DECIMAL results
 
@@ -315,6 +317,10 @@ an ``Invalid`` :class:`Status` when overflow is detected.
   enough scale kept. Error is returned if the result precision is beyond the
   decimal value range.
 
+* \(2) Output is any of (-1,1) for nonzero inputs and 0 for zero input.
+  NaN values return NaN.  Integral values return signedness as Int8 and
+  floating-point values return it with the same type as the input values.
+
 Bit-wise functions
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/docs/source/python/api/compute.rst b/docs/source/python/api/compute.rst
index 09c67598193..d243f24fcbf 100644
--- a/docs/source/python/api/compute.rst
+++ b/docs/source/python/api/compute.rst
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Aggregations
 Arithmetic Functions
 --------------------
 
-By default these functions do not detect overflow. Each function is also
+By default these functions do not detect overflow. Most functions are also
 available in an overflow-checking variant, suffixed ``_checked``, which
 throws an ``ArrowInvalid`` exception when overflow is detected.
 
@@ -54,14 +54,15 @@ throws an ``ArrowInvalid`` exception when overflow is detected.
    divide_checked
    multiply
    multiply_checked
-   subtract
-   subtract_checked
    power
    power_checked
    shift_left
    shift_left_checked
    shift_right
    shift_right_checked
+   sign
+   subtract
+   subtract_checked
 
 Bit-wise operations do not offer (or need) a checked variant.