hieroglyph
English
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hieroglyph
- /ˈhaɪ.ɹəˌɡlɪf/ UK
- /ˈhaɪ.ɹəʊˌɡlɪf/ UK
- /ˈhaɪɚ.əˌɡlɪf/ US
- /ˈhaɪɚ.oʊˌɡlɪf/ US
Where it comes from
First attested around 1598, a back-formation from hieroglyphic (1580s), from Middle French hiéroglyphique, from Late Latin hieroglyphicus, from Ancient Greek ἱερογλυφικός (hierogluphikós) (Plutarch τά ἱερογλυφικά [γράμματα] "hieroglyphic [writing]), ἱερόγλυφος (hierógluphos, “carver of hieroglyphs”) (Ptolemy), a compound of ἱερός (hierós, “sacred, holy”) and γλυφή (gluphḗ, “carved work”), a calque of Egyptian mdw-nṯr (“the god’s word”), nTr-md. By surface analysis, hiero- + glyph.
noun hieroglyphs
- An element (individual sign or glyph) of a hieroglyphic writing system. Hieroglyphs were discovered on the wall inside the temple.
- In particular, an Egyptian hieroglyph.
- Any obscure or baffling symbol. With your handwriting, it's no surprise the Prof can't read your hieroglyphs!
verb hieroglyphs · hieroglyphing · hieroglyphed
- To represent by hieroglyphs.
Translations
Every language
noun element of hieroglyphic writing system
| Español | jeroglífico |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 상형문자 sanghyeongmunja, 히에로글리프 hierogeullipeu |
| 日本語 | 象形文字 shōkei moji, ヒエログリフ hierogurifu, 聖刻 seikoku |
| 中文 | 象形文字 xiàngxíng wénzì, 圖畫文字 /图画文字 túhuà wénzì |
| हिन्दी | हीयेरोग्लिफ़ hīyeroglif |
| Português | hieróglifo |
| Français | hiéroglyphe |
| Deutsch | Hieroglyphe |
| Italiano | geroglifico |
| Ελληνικά | ιερογλυφικός ieroglyfikós |
| Română | hieroglifă |
| Русский | иеро́глиф ijeróglif |
| Tiếng Việt | chữ tượng hình |
| العربية | هِيرُوغْلِيفِيَّة hiroḡlifiyya |
| עברית | הִירוֹגְלִיף |
Talk about this word "hieroglyph." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hieroglyph. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. hieroglyph. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hieroglyph "hieroglyph." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hieroglyph.Cite this
@misc{hieroglyph_2026,
title = {hieroglyph},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hieroglyph},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
