HIEROGLYPHIC

hieroglyphic, hieroglyphical

(adjective) written in or belonging to a writing system using pictorial symbols

hieroglyphic, hieroglyphical

(adjective) resembling hieroglyphic writing

hieroglyph, hieroglyphic

(noun) a writing system using picture symbols; used in ancient Egypt

hieroglyph, hieroglyphic

(noun) writing that resembles hieroglyphics (usually by being illegible)

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

hieroglyphic (plural hieroglyphics)

(chiefly, in the plural) a writing system of ancient Egypt, Minoans, Maya and other civilizations, using pictorial symbols to represent individual sounds as a rebus

any symbol used in this system; a hieroglyph

(by extension) undecipherable handwriting or secret symbol

Usage notes

The use of this word in the plural, as well as its use to mean ‘a hieroglyph’, are commonly proscribed by Egyptologists; for example, James P. Allen writes, ‘Each sign in this system is a hieroglyph, and the system as a whole is called hieroglyphic (not “hieroglyphics”).’ Thus, while the use of ‘hieroglyphics’ is quite common in works written by laymen (and formerly in 19th-century academic works), it is rare in modern academic works written by Egyptologists.

Adjective

hieroglyphic (comparative more hieroglyphic, superlative most hieroglyphic)

of, relating to, or written with this system of symbols

difficult to decipher

Source: Wiktionary

Hi"er*o*glyph, Hi`er*o*glyph"ic, n. Etym: [Cf. F. hiéroglyphe. See Hieroglyphic, a.]

1. A sacred character; a character in picture writing, as of the ancient Egyptians, Mexicans, etc. Specifically, in the plural, the picture writing of the ancient Egyptian priests. It is made up of three, or, as some say, four classes of characters: first, the hieroglyphic proper, or figurative, in which the representation of the object conveys the idea of the object itself; second, the ideographic, consisting of symbols representing ideas, not sounds, as an ostrich feather is a symbol of truth; third, the phonetic, consisting of symbols employed as syllables of a word, or as letters of the alphabet, having a certain sound, as a hawk represented the vowel a.

2. Any character or figure which has, or is supposed to have, a hidden or mysterious significance; hence, any unintelligible or illegible character or mark. [Colloq.]

Hi`er*o*glyph"ic, Hi`er*o*glyph"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. hieroglyphicus, Gr. hiéroglyphique.]

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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition