hieroglyphics
hieroglyphics Lexical Profile
hieroglyphics Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A system of writing, particularly that of ancient Egypt, in which pictorial symbols are used to represent words, syllables, or sounds, or the enigmatic characters themselves.
"The archaeologists carefully photographed the ancient hieroglyphics carved into the limestone tomb walls."
Handwriting or symbols that are cramped, illegible, or difficult to decipher.
"The doctor's hurried notes on the prescription pad looked like complete hieroglyphics to the pharmacist."
Word Nuance & Usage
In strict scholarly usage, 'hieroglyph' is the noun for a single character and 'hieroglyphic' is the adjective, though 'hieroglyphics' is universally accepted in general English as a plural or mass noun for the writing system or its characters.
• Rhymes for hieroglyphics
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived via Late Latin from Ancient Greek 'hieroglyphikos' ('of sacred carving'), combining 'hieros' ('sacred') and 'glyphein' ('to carve'), because the Greeks primarily saw these characters carved on Egyptian temple walls.