Ideogrammic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or consisting of ideograms, the symbols that represent an idea or thing rather than a spoken sound
2. Describing a writing system or sign whose characters stand for concepts directly, as in Chinese characters
3. Characterized by the use of ideograms, graphic symbols that convey meaning without corresponding to particular words

Etymology: "Ideogrammic" is simply "ideogram" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ic" added, so the history of the whole word is the history of its base. An ideogram is a graphic symbol that stands for an idea or thing rather than for a particular spoken word, as with Chinese characters or the figures on road signs. The base is built from Greek roots: "idea," meaning a form or notion seen by the mind, and "gramma," meaning something written or drawn, which also gives English words like "grammar" and "diagram." Combined, they describe a sign written to carry a concept directly. The suffix "-ic" comes from Greek "-ikos," which English uses to turn nouns into adjectives meaning "having to do with" or "characterized by." So "ideogrammic" means characterized by the use of ideograms. The "-ic" form is used alongside the longer "ideographic," which is built from the same roots through a different combining form, and both describe the same kind of writing.

Synonyms: ideographic, ideogrammatic