hieratic
English
Etymology
(deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin hieraticus, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek ἱερατικός (hieratikós), from ἱερατεία (hierateía, “priesthood”), from ἱερατεύω (hierateúō, “be a priest”), from ἱερεύς (hiereús, “priest”), from ἱερός (hierós, “sacred”).
- Use pertaining to the Egyptian writing system originates with the Greek phrase γράμματα ἱερατικά (grammata hieratika; literally "priestly writing"), which was first used by Saint Clement of Alexandria in the 2nd century AD, as at that time hieratic was used only for religious texts, as had been the case for the previous thousand years.
Pronunciation
Adjective
hieratic (not comparable)
- of or pertaining to priests, especially pharaonic priests of ancient Egypt; sacerdotal.
- of or pertaining to the cursive writing system developed by ancient Egyptian priests alongside the hieroglyphic system.
- (art) extremely stylized, restrained or formal; adhering to fixed types or methods; severe in emotional import.
- Some of the more hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved.
Synonyms
- (pertaining to priests): priestly, sacerdotal
Translations
of or pertaining to priests
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of or pertaining to the cursive writing system developed by ancient Egyptian priests
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extremely stylized, restrained or formal
Noun
hieratic (plural hieratics)
- a writing system used in pharaonic Egypt that was developed alongside the hieroglyphic system, primarily written in ink with a reed brush on papyrus, allowing scribes to write quickly without resorting to the time consuming hieroglyphs.