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
- a writing system of ancient Egypt, Minoans, Maya...
Ancestry of “hieroglyphic”, step by step
hieroglyphic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French hiéroglyphique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | hiéroglyphique | hieroglyphic |
| 2 | Latin | hieroglyphicus | hieroglyphic |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἱερογλυφικός | hieroglyphic, pertaining to hieroglyphs |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἱερόγλυφος | carver of hieroglyphics |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | γλυφή | carving, carved work; hole cut |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |
via Middle French hiéroglyphique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | hiéroglyphique | — |