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[2x]

: H HÜ Hæ Hô H- H. H2 H< Ha Hb Hc Hd He Hf Hg Hh Hi Hl Hm Hn Ho Hp Hq Hr Hs Ht Hu Hw Hy Hz

Table of Contents POS
HYPHEN
WORDNET DICTIONARY
CIDE DICTIONARY
OXFORD DICTIONARY

hieratic

POS

Adjective, Noun

HYPHEN

hi=er=at=ic

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WORDNET DICTIONARY

Noun hieratic has 1 sense

hieratic(n = noun.communication) hieratic script - a cursive form of Egyptian hieroglyphics; used especially by the priests; Array

is a kind of hieroglyph, hieroglyphic

has particulars: demotic, demotic script

Derived form adjective hieratic₂

Adjective hieratic has 3 senses

hieratic(a = adj.pert) hieratical, priestly, sacerdotal - associated with the priesthood or priests; "priestly (or sacerdotal) vestments"; "hieratic gestures"
hieratic(a = adj.pert) Array - written or belonging to a cursive form of ancient Egyptian writing; "hieratic Egyptian script"

Derived form noun

hieratic₁

hieratic(s = adj.all) Array - adhering to fixed types or methods; highly restrained and formal; "the more hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved"

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CIDE DICTIONARY

hieratic, a. [L. hieraticus, Gr. "ieratiko`s; akin to "iero`s sacred: cf. F. hiératique.].

Consecrated to sacred uses; sacerdotal; pertaining to priests. [1913 Webster]

"It was a false notion of the Greeks that of the three kinds of writing used by the Egyptians, two -- for that reason called hieroglyphic and hieratic -- were employed only for sacred, while the third, the demotic, was employed for secular, purposes. No such distinction is discoverable on the more ancient Egyptian monuments; bur we retain the old names founded on misapprehension." [1913 Webster]

Hieratic character, a mode of ancient Egyptian writing; a modified form of hieroglyphics, tending toward a cursive hand and formerly supposed to be the sacerdotal character, as the demotic was supposed to be that of the people.

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

hieratic, adj.
1 of or concerning priests.
2 of the ancient Egyptian writing of abridged hieroglyphics as used by priests (opp. DEMOTIC).
3 of or concerning Egyptian or Greek traditional styles of art.
4 priestly.

Derivative

hieratically adv.

Etymology

L f. Gk hieratikos f. hieraomai be a priest f. hiereus priest

For further exploring for "hieratic" in Webster Dictionary Online