Glyph
/ɡlɪf/noun
A carved or engraved symbol, especially one in an ancient writing system.
Did you know?The word was first used in the 19th century by archaeologists for carved signs in ancient scripts, and it ultimately traces back to the Greek verb for carving with a chisel.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
γλύφειν (glýphein)
“to carve, engrave, or hollow out”
Late Greek
Greek
γλυφή (glyphḗ)
“a carving or engraved work”
19th Century
English
glyph
“a carved symbol or pictograph used in archaeology and epigraphy”
Modern English
English
glyph
“a symbol, especially one in a writing system or a decorative carved sign”