chronogram

American  

[kron-uh-gram] / ˈkrɒn əˌgræm /

noun

1. an inscription in which certain Roman numeral letters express a date or epoch on being added together by their values.

2. a record made by a chronograph.

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chronogram British  

/ ˌkrɒnəʊɡrəˈmætɪk, ˈkrəʊnə-, ˈkrɒnəˌɡræm /

noun

1. a phrase or inscription in which letters such as M, C, X, L and V can be read as Roman numerals giving a date

2. a record kept by a chronograph

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Other Word Forms

• chronogrammatist
  noun
• chronogrammatic
  adjective
• chronogrammatical
  adjective
• chronogrammatically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of chronogram

First recorded in 1615–25; chrono- + -gram ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chronogram

"He decided to ignore the previously adopted chronogram of reform and elections," the internal EU's sanctions list said.

From Reuters ● Feb. 4, 2022

If any object and say, "Deni" is only the plural; I excuse my self by that admirable chronogram upon King Charles the martyr.

From Miscellanies Upon Various Subjects by John Aubrey

The central emblem is that of the Trinity, with a "chronogram" indicating the year 1634 thus:—sInt DoMUs hUjUs pII reges nUtrItII regInae nUtrICes pIae.

From Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Winchester A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See by Philip Walsingham Sergeant

Each of the nine parts of the inscription formed a chronogram which, in every instance, totals to the date 1764, the year in which the second clock was completed.

From The Borghesi Astronomical Clock in the Museum of History and Technology Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, Paper 35, the Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum Bulletin 240 by Silvio A. Bedini

In addition, each lemma, contained within asterisks, carries out the chronogram 1764, the year the clock was completed.

From The Borghesi Astronomical Clock in the Museum of History and Technology Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, Paper 35, the Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum Bulletin 240 by Silvio A. Bedini