hieroglyphics
Britishnoun
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a form of writing, esp as used in ancient Egypt, in which pictures or symbols are used to represent objects, concepts, or sounds
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difficult or undecipherable writing
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Present-day writing that is hard to decipher or understand is sometimes jokingly called “hieroglyphics.”
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.
Much like the Rosetta Stone helped scientists interpret ancient hieroglyphics, V1298 Tau provides a key reference for understanding how the galaxy's most common planets take shape.
From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2026
Mayer frames the story as being discovered by an archaeologist reading hieroglyphics in a tomb.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 21, 2024
Her study topics included the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt, she told us, not current affairs.
From BBC • Oct. 17, 2023
The hieroglyphics and artwork on the courtyard walls outside match the original theater design, including the sphinxes, ancient markers of mystery and quiet.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2023
The pages were filled with my cramped hieroglyphics, a byproduct of being born a lefty.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
