Ancient Writing Systems

noun a system of writing used in ancient Mesopotamia, characterized by wedge-shaped characters impressed on clay tablets

• The study of ancient civilizations often involves deciphering cuneiform inscriptions.
• Have you seen those cuneiform tablets at the museum? They're really cool.
• I tried to write my name in cuneiform but it just looks like scribbles.
• The cuneiform of her emotions was unreadable, leaving him confused about how she truly felt.

noun a word or phrase that expresses a quality or attribute of the referent, typically placed before a noun

adjective serving to determine or limit

• The determinative factor in the decision was the financial viability of the project.
• The determinative thing that made me choose this restaurant was the good reviews.
• The determinative element in acing the exam is studying the night before.
• Her smile was the determinative force that brightened up his day.

adjective relating to or consisting of glyphs, which are characters or symbols used in writing or inscriptions

• The ancient civilization left behind many glyphic inscriptions on stone tablets.
• I love looking at all the cool glyphic designs on the walls of this old building.
• Check out the sick glyphic artwork on this skateboard!
• His words were like glyphic symbols, difficult to decipher but full of hidden meaning.

noun a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system, typically carved in stone or wood

adjective of or relating to hieroglyphs or the ancient Egyptian writing system

• The ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics as a form of writing.
• I'm trying to decode these hieroglyphics on the wall.
• These hieroglyphics are like ancient emojis.
• His handwriting is so messy, it looks like hieroglyphics.

noun the study of ancient handwriting and the deciphering and dating of historical manuscripts

• The study of ancient handwriting and scripts is known as paleography.
• I find paleography fascinating because it helps decipher old documents.
• Paleography is like detective work for old writing.
• In the world of paleography, every stroke of the pen tells a story.

adjective relating to or consisting of pictures or symbols

• The ancient civilization used pictographic symbols to communicate their ideas.
• I find it fascinating how pictographic writing can convey so much meaning.
• Check out these cool pictographic emojis I found online!
• Her artwork was like a pictographic representation of her inner thoughts and feelings.

noun a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet, related to the Roman alphabet, or a character or symbol representing a word, syllable, or sound in this alphabet

• The archaeologist discovered a rune inscribed on the ancient tablet.
• I found a cool looking rune while exploring the forest.
• Check out this sick rune I just drew on my notebook.
• The rune symbolizes protection and strength in Norse mythology.

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adjective relating to ancient Germanic letters or runes

adverb none

pronoun none

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conjunction none

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• The ancient inscription on the stone tablet was written in runic script.
• I found a cool necklace with a runic design on it.
• Let's get matching runic tattoos to symbolize our friendship.
• The runic symbols seemed to hold a mysterious power, guiding us on our journey.

noun the collection and publication of papyri

• Papyrology is the study and interpretation of ancient texts written on papyrus.
• I'm taking a papyrology course next semester to learn about ancient manuscripts.
• Papyrology is like detective work, piecing together fragments of old documents.
• In a way, papyrology is like unraveling the mysteries of the past through written records.

adjective relating to or denoting a system of writing in which each letter represents a sound, typically the initial sound of the name of the letter

• The acrophonic system of writing uses symbols to represent sounds.
• I learned about acrophonic writing in my linguistics class.
• Some people find acrophonic languages confusing to read.
• The acrophonic nature of the artwork added depth to its meaning.