HIEROGLYPHICS

Proper noun

Hieroglyphics

A miscapitalization of hieroglyphics, used as a proper noun because of the false assumption by many that hieroglyphics (i.e. Egyptian hieroglyphics) is itself a language.

Noun

hieroglyphics

plural of hieroglyphic

Source: Wiktionary

HIEROGLYPHIC

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