[hahy-er-uh-glif-ik, hahy-ruh-] 
| 1. | Also, hi⋅er⋅o⋅glyph⋅i⋅cal. designating or pertaining to a pictographic script, particularly that of the ancient Egyptians, in which many of the symbols are conventionalized, recognizable pictures of the things represented. |
| 2. | inscribed with hieroglyphic symbols. |
| 3. | hard to decipher; hard to read. |
| 4. | Also, hi⋅er⋅o⋅glyph. a hieroglyphic symbol. |
| 5. | Usually, hieroglyphics. hieroglyphic writing. |
| 6. | a figure or symbol with a hidden meaning. |
| 7. | hieroglyphics, handwriting, figures, characters, code, etc., difficult to decipher: the confusing hieroglyphics of advanced mathematics. |
| hi·er·o·glyph·ic (hī'ər-ə-glĭf'ĭk, hī'rə-) adj.
[French hiéroglyphique, from Late Latin hieroglyphicus, from Greek hierogluphikos : hieros, holy; see eis- in Indo-European roots + gluphē, carving (from gluphein, to carve; see gleubh- in Indo-European roots).] hi'er·o·glyph'i·cal·ly adv. |