Synonyms

syllabary

American

[sil-uh-ber-ee] / ˈsɪl əˌbɛr i /

noun

a list or catalog of syllables.
a set of written symbols, each of which represents a syllable, used to write a given language.

the Japanese syllabary.

syllabary British

/ ˈsɪləbərɪ /

noun

a table or list of syllables
a set of symbols used in certain writing systems, such as one used for Japanese, in which each symbol represents a spoken syllable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

syllabaries

plural

Etymology

Origin of syllabary

From the New Latin word syllabārium, dating back to 1580–90. See syllable, -ary

Vocabulary lists containing syllabary

"The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket," Vocabulary from the short story

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Ha ha,” said Hermione, looking down at Spellman’s Syllabary.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

“That would be a complete waste of potion,” said Hermione flatly, putting down the copy of Spellman’s Syllabary she had just taken out of her bag.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Startled, Harry looked over just in time to see her burst into tears over her copy of Spellman’s Syllabary.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023