hiéroglyphe
hieroglyph
noun yeh-roh-GLEEF Rare
Origin: Greek hieroglyphikos, 'sacred carved writing'
Usage Note
Hiéroglyphe refers to any of the pictographic characters used in ancient Egyptian writing, deciphered by Champollion using the Rosetta Stone in 1822. By extension, hiéroglyphes is used colloquially for any illegible handwriting. The plural hiéroglyphes is the common form.
Examples
"Les hiéroglyphes couvrent les murs du temple."
Natural Translation
The hieroglyphs cover the temple walls.
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