hieroglyphic Hear it!

hieroglyphic Definition

hi·ero·glyphic (hī′ər ō′glifik, hī′rə glifik)

adjective

  1. of, or having the nature of, hieroglyphics
  2. written in hieroglyphics
  3. hard to read or understand

Etymology: Fr hiéroglyphique < LL hieroglyphicus < Gr hieroglyphikos < hieros, sacred (see hiero-) + glyphein, to carve, hollow out: see glyph

noun

  1. a picture or symbol representing a word, syllable, or sound, used by the ancient Egyptians and others instead of alphabetical letters
  2. a method of writing using hieroglyphics; picture writing
  3. a symbol, sign, etc. hard to understand
  4. writing hard to decipher

hieroglyphic Related Forms

hi′·ero′·glyphi·cally adverb

hieroglyphic Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • decipher: The mission is named after the Rosetta stone, which provided the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics.
  • use: Could you learn to write your name using hieroglyphics in class?
  • translate: In the 17th century, Athanasius Kircher wrote about the Egyptians and attempted to translate hieroglyphics, although his theories have since been overturned.
  • find: Dear Customer, According to ancient hieroglyphics found in Egypt, the Pharaohs believed that mushrooms were the food of immortality.
  • have: Each of the separate piles should have a certain hieroglyphic, ' cause there are bunches of different kinds of cards.
  • explain: Rosetta is named after the stone that explained Egyptian hieroglyphics, thus laying bare the culture of the Pharoahs to modern eyes.

Preposition: on

  • papyrus: The fourth activity was to write our names in hieroglyphics on papyrus.
  • wall: Fortunately there are hieroglyphics on the walls that tell our intrepid ( and doomed ) team what's happening.

Adjective modifier

  • Egyptian: Now there's no excuse for not knowing how to write your name in Egyptian hieroglyphics.
  • ancient: A notable ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic was formed of two serpents in connection with a globe or egg, representing the world.
  • Mayan: He considers pictographic languages ranging from the natural Mayan hieroglyphics and Sumerian cuneiform, to recent experiments such as Elephant's Memory.
  • strange: But it doesn't look much like what was on the page before - it's full of strange hieroglyphics!
  • certain: Each of the separate piles should have a certain hieroglyphic, ' cause there are bunches of different kinds of cards.
  • curious: In the left-hand corner is a curious hieroglyphic like four crosses in a line with their arms touching.

Modifies a noun

  • stairway: Town hall meetings construct a nearly Moto reporter cruises Mexico City streets for news their groups hieroglyphic stairway at.
  • inscription: Together with his knowledge of the Coptic language, which derived from ancient Egyptian, this allowed him to begin reading hieroglyphic inscriptions fully.
  • script: The real hieroglyphic script, rongorongo, is a feature of its ancient culture.
  • writing: Many people had been trying to work out Egyptian hieroglyphic writing for 1,400 years, without success.
  • symbol: A picture of this feature was often used as the hieroglyphic symbol both for her name and for the noun " truth " .
  • text: The paper covers the study of hieroglyphic texts in Middle Egyptian, the classic form of the language.

Browse dictionary entries near hieroglyphic

  1. hieroglyph
  2. hierodule
  3. hierocracy
  4. hiero-
  5. hieratic
  6. hierarchy
  7. hierarchism
  8. hierarchical
  9. hierarchal
  10. hierarch
  1. hierology
  2. Hieronymus
  3. hierophant
  4. hifalutin
  5. Higashiosaka
  6. Higginson
  7. higgle
  8. higgledy-piggledy
  9. Higgs boson
  10. high