I. ˌhī-(ə-)rə-ˈgli-fik adjective
also hi·ero·glyph·i·cal -fi-kəl
Etymology: Middle French hieroglyphique, from Late Latin hieroglyphicus, from Greek hieroglyphikos, from hieros + glyphein to carve — more at cleave
Date: 1585
1. : written in, constituting, or belonging to a system of writing mainly in pictorial characters
2. : inscribed with hieroglyphic
3. : resembling hieroglyphic in difficulty of decipherment
• hi·ero·glyph·i·cal·ly -fi-k(ə-)lē adverb
II. noun
Date: 1586
1. : hieroglyph
2. : a system of hieroglyphic writing ; specifically : the picture script of the ancient Egyptian priesthood — often used in plural but sing. or plural in constr.
3. : something that resembles a hieroglyph especially in difficulty of decipherment
[
hieroglyphic 2
]