View synonyms for syllabary

syllabary

[ sil-uh-ber-ee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural syl·la·bar·ies.

a list or catalog of syllables.
a set of written symbols, each of which represents a syllable, used to write a given language:
the Japanese syllabary.

syllabary

/ ˈsɪləbərɪ /

a table or list of syllables
a set of symbols used in certain writing systems, such as one used for Japanese, in which each symbol represents a spoken syllable

From the New Latin word syllabārium, dating back to 1580–90. See syllable, -ary

C16: from New Latin syllabārium, from Latin syllaba syllable

The characters of the syllabary were all arranged and named, and elaborate lists of them were drawn up.

The kana13 is a syllabary of forty-seven letters, which by diacritical marks, may be increased to seventy.

Though the syllabary is essentially of Sumerian origin there is much in it which is traceable to a Semitic source.

The pictorial origin of the syllabary has proved of important assistance in reading the texts.

The sign which represents this bird in the cuneiform syllabary also signifies 'fate.'

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