- plural of hieroglyphic.
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.
His images conjure illuminated manuscripts, textiles, hieroglyphics, board games, musical scores, and tribal and children’s art, while echoing the structures of animals, crystals, plants and cells.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
USC journalism professor and longtime record collector Oscar Garza describes these markings as “Chicano hieroglyphics… a reflection of the friends who shared the memories of that song or album.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
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
The Rosetta Stone, found in 1799, provided the key to deciphering hieroglyphics; it was discovered by the French army and was seized by the British as war booty.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2025
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.
