hieroglyphic

• Relatif à un système d'écriture utilisant des symboles figuratifs, notamment dans l'Égypte ancienne, ou qui y ressemble ; également utilisé au sens figuré pour décrire quelque chose de difficile à lire ou à déchiffrer.

Relating to or resembling a system of writing using pictorial symbols, especially that of ancient Egypt; also used figuratively to describe something difficult to read or decipher.

1. Relating to ancient writingB2formal

   Of or relating to a writing system that uses pictorial symbols, especially ancient Egyptian.

   hiéroglyphique

   • The tomb walls were covered in hieroglyphic inscriptions.
   • She studied hieroglyphic writing at the university.
   • The museum displayed a hieroglyphic tablet from the pharaoh's era.

   Synonymespictographicpictorialsymbolic

2. Difficult to read or understandC1informal

   Used figuratively to describe something that is hard to decipher or interpret.

   Difficile à déchiffrer

   • His handwriting is completely hieroglyphic to me.
   • The instructions were so hieroglyphic that nobody could follow them.
   • The ancient map was hieroglyphic in its complexity.

   Synonymesabstrusebafflingcrypticenigmaticillegibleimpenetrableindecipherableinscrutableobscurepuzzlingunintelligibleunreadable

   Antonymesclearcomprehensibledecipherablelegiblereadableunderstandable

• Nom désignant un signe ou un symbole utilisé dans l'écriture de l'Égypte ancienne, ou, plus largement, tout système d'écriture reposant sur des symboles figuratifs.

A noun referring to a character or symbol used in ancient Egyptian writing, or more broadly, any writing system that uses pictorial symbols.

1. Ancient Egyptian writing symbolB2formal

   A character used in the ancient Egyptian writing system, consisting of pictures and symbols representing words or sounds.

   hiéroglyphe égyptien

   • The tomb walls were covered with intricate hieroglyphics.
   • Scholars spent years deciphering the meaning of each hieroglyphic.
   • The Rosetta Stone helped translate ancient hieroglyphics into Greek.

2. Illegible or mysterious writingB2informal

   Any writing or symbols that are difficult to read or understand, often used informally.

   Écriture illisible ou mystérieuse

   • The doctor's prescription looked like hieroglyphics to me.
   • His notes were a mess of hieroglyphics that no one could decipher.
   • The ancient manuscript was filled with strange hieroglyphics.

   Synonymeschicken scratchciphercryptogramgibberishmumbo jumboscrawlscribblesquiggle