Brahmi

American  

[brah-mee] / ˈbrɑ mi /

noun

1. a script of India that was probably adapted from the Aramaic alphabet about the 7th century b.c., and from which most of the later Indian scripts developed.

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Etymology

Origin of Brahmi

1890–95; < Sanskrit, equivalent to brahm- ( Brahman ) + -ī as in Hindi, etc.

Example Sentences

But some experts say that more research and evidence are needed to conclusively prove the antiquity of the Tamil Brahmi script.

From BBC • Jul. 27, 2025

Theories have linked it to early Brahmi scripts, Dravidian and Indo-Aryan languages, Sumerian, and even claimed it's just made up of political or religious symbols.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2025

Police have not revealed the purpose of the investigation, Brahmi said at a news briefing.

From Reuters • Feb. 20, 2023

He holds a sword and mace, and across his long cloak, the inscription in middle Brahmi, an ancient Indian script, now extinct, reads: “The Great King, King of Kings, Son of a God, Kanishka.”

From New York Times • May 11, 2020

Besides the "Nordarisch" mentioned above which was written in Brahmi, three other Iranian languages have left literary remains in Central Asia, all written in an alphabet of Aramaic origin.

From Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 by Eliot, Charles, Sir