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hieroglyphic

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hi⋅er⋅o⋅glyph⋅ic

  [hahy-er-uh-glif-ik, hahy-ruh-]
Use hieroglyphic in a Sentence
–adjective
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.
–noun
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.
Origin:
1575–85; < LL hieroglyphicus < Gk hieroglyphikós pertaining to sacred writing. See hiero-, glyphic

Related forms:
hi⋅er⋅o⋅glyph⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To hieroglyphic
hi·er·o·glyph·ic   (hī'ər-ə-glĭf'ĭk, hī'rə-)   
adj.  
    1. Of, relating to, or being a system of writing, such as that of ancient Egypt, in which pictorial symbols are used to represent meaning or sounds or a combination of meaning and sound.
    2. Written with such symbols.
  2. Difficult to read or decipher.
n.  
    1. A hieroglyph.
    2. Hieroglyphic writing, especially that of the ancient Egyptians. Often used in the plural with a singular or plural verb.
  2. Something, such as illegible or undecipherable writing, that is felt to resemble a hieroglyph.

[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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Hieroglyphic

Hi`er*o*glyph"ic\, Hieroglyphical \Hi`er*o*glyph"ic*al\, a. [L. hieroglyphicus, Gr. ?; "iero`s sacred + gly`fein to carve: cf. F. hi['e]roglyphique.]

1. Emblematic; expressive of some meaning by characters, pictures, or figures; as, hieroglyphic writing; a hieroglyphic obelisk.

Pages no better than blanks to common minds, to his, hieroglyphical of wisest secrets. --Prof. Wilson.

2. Resembling hieroglyphics; not decipherable. "An hieroglyphical scrawl." --Sir W. Scott.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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hieroglyphic 
1585, from L.L. hieroglyphicus, from Gk. hieroglyphikos, from hieros "sacred" + glyphe "carving," from glyphein "to carve." Plutarch began the custom of using the adj. (ta hieroglyphika) as a noun.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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