ideogram

[ id-ee-uh-gram, ahy-dee- ]

/ ˈɪd i əˌgræm, ˈaɪ di- /

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noun

a written symbol that represents an idea or object directly rather than a particular word or speech sound, as a Chinese character.

a written symbol, as 7, =, or &; a logogram.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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Origin of ideogram

First recorded in 1830–40; ideo- + -gram¹

Words nearby ideogram

identity politics, identity sign, identity theft, identity theory, ideo-, ideogram, ideograph, ideography, ideokinetic apraxia, ideological, ideologist

How to use ideogram in a sentence

As Norah heads inland she will come across various symbols and ideograms on the surfaces of walls and objects which she’ll jot down in a notebook.
‘Call of the Sea’: Strictly for hardcore puzzlers|Christopher Byrd|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
The common Sumerian ideogram for the name of the Tigris is al-al, an intensified form of al, which means “running” or “rushing”.
Sumerian Hymns|Frederick Augustus Vanderburgh
An-na, ideogram for the god of heaven, plus phonetic complement.
Sumerian Hymns|Frederick Augustus Vanderburgh
H” gives us a picture of a reed, the late cuneiform character being the ideogram for “kanu” which means a “reed.
Mesopotamian Archaeology|Percy S. P. Handcock

Applied to a settlement, the ideogram would be the equivalent of our 'Fishtown.'
The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria|Morris Jastrow
Further evidence to the same effect is given by the ancient writing, in which the ideogram for king was a star.
A History of Art in Chalda & Assyria, v. 1|Georges Perrot

British Dictionary definitions for ideogram

ideogram

ideograph (ˈɪdɪəʊˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf)

/ (ˈɪdɪəʊˌɡræm) /

noun

a sign or symbol, used in such writing systems as those of China or Japan, that directly represents a concept, idea, or thing rather than a word or set of words for it

any graphic sign or symbol, such as %, @, &, etc

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