Glyph
noun /ɡlɪf/ — A symbolic carved or inscribed character
Definition
A hieroglyphic symbol — a carved or inscribed mark that carries meaning, particularly in ancient writing systems like Mayan or Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Beyond the definition
Meaning compressed into a mark. A glyph is language before language became fully abstract — when the sign still looked like the thing it named.
Origin & history
From Greek 'glyphē' (carving) — from 'glyphein' (to carve, to hollow out). What is carved into stone.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The archaeologists catalogued hundreds of glyphs on the temple walls — many still untranslated.
A glyph is not just a letter — it is a letter that remembers being an image.
Emoji are the glyphs of our era — symbolic figures that compress meaning and tone into a single mark.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Glyph” when the meaning fits your context: A hieroglyphic symbol — a carved or inscribed mark that carries meaning, particularly in ancient writing systems like Mayan or Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Synonyms
symbol, hieroglyph, character, inscription, mark
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Glyph" mean?
Glyph is noun meaning: A symbolic carved or inscribed character. A hieroglyphic symbol — a carved or inscribed mark that carries meaning, particularly in ancient writing systems like Mayan or Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Where does the word "Glyph" come from?
From Greek 'glyphē' (carving) — from 'glyphein' (to carve, to hollow out). What is carved into stone.