Hieroglyph
/ˈhaɪərəˌɡlɪf/noun
A character in the writing system of ancient Egypt, especially one that is pictorial.
Did you know?The word entered English through Greek and literally means “sacred carving,” because the signs were originally associated with temple and monument inscriptions, not everyday writing.
Etymological Timeline
Greek antiquity
Greek
hieroglyphikos
“pertaining to sacred carved signs”
Greek antiquity
Greek
hieros + glyphein
“sacred + to carve, engrave”
Late Latin
Latin
hieroglyphicus
“hieroglyphic, of sacred carving”
Middle French
French
hieroglyphe
“hieroglyph”
16th Century
English
hieroglyph
“a carved sacred sign, especially Egyptian writing”
Modern English
English
hieroglyph
“a character in ancient Egyptian writing; by extension, a difficult or obscure symbol”
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