Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hieroglyphic” come from?

Hieroglyphic comes from French hiéroglyphique, Latin hieroglyphicus, and Ancient Greek ἱερογλυφικός, derived from ἱερογλυφέω and γλύφω, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European glewbʰ- and ish₁ros.

hieroglyphic (English): a writing system of ancient Egypt, Minoans, Maya...

Definitions

  1. a writing system of ancient Egypt, Minoans, Maya...

Ancestry of “hieroglyphic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchhiéroglyphiquehieroglyphic
2Latinhieroglyphicushieroglyphic
3Ancient Greekἱερογλυφικός—
4Ancient Greekἱερόγλυφοςcarver of hieroglyphics
5Ancient Greekγλυφήcarving, carved work; hole cut
6Ancient Greek-ῐ́ᾱ{{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine...
7Proto-Indo-European-íh₂—
8Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...

Words derived from “hieroglyphic”

  • nonhieroglyphic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ →