hieroglyphic

Etymology
First coined 1726, from, from , from , from , from +.

Noun

 * 1)  A writing system of ancient Egypt, Minoans, Maya and other civilizations, using pictorial symbols to represent individual sounds as a rebus
 * 2) Any symbol used in this system; a hieroglyph.
 * 3)  Undecipherable handwriting or secret symbol.
 * 1)  Undecipherable handwriting or secret symbol.
 * 1)  Undecipherable handwriting or secret symbol.

Usage notes
The use of this word in the plural, as well as its use to mean ‘a hieroglyph’, are commonly proscribed by Egyptologists; for example, James P. Allen writes, ‘Each sign in this system is a hieroglyph, and the system as a whole is called hieroglyphic (not “hieroglyphics”).’ Thus, while the use of ‘hieroglyphics’ is quite common in works written by laymen (and formerly in 19th-century academic works), it is rare in modern academic works written by Egyptologists.

Translations

 * Catalan:
 * Galician:
 * Hebrew:
 * Italian:
 * Russian:
 * Spanish: jeroglífico
 * Tagalog: heroglipiko
 * Ukrainian: ієроглі́фіка

Adjective

 * of, relating to, or written with this system of symbols
 * hieroglyphic writing
 * hieroglyphic obelisk
 * 1) difficult to decipher

Translations

 * Catalan:
 * Dutch:
 * Esperanto: hieroglifa
 * French:
 * German:
 * Italian:
 * Korean: 상형문자의
 * Russian:


 * Catalan:
 * German: