ideogram

[ id-ee-uh-gram, ahy-dee- ]

noun

1. Linguistics. a symbol that represents an idea or object directly rather than a particular word or speech sound, such as an arrow symbol to represent direction. Compare logogram ( def 1 ), phonogram ( def ).
2. a symbol that substitutes for a word or phrase, such as 7, =, or &; a logogram.

ideogram

/ ˈɪdɪəʊˌɡrɑːf; -ˌɡræf; ˈɪdɪəʊˌɡræm /

noun

1. a sign or symbol, used in such writing systems as those of China or Japan, that directly represents a concept, idea, or thing rather than a word or set of words for it
2. any graphic sign or symbol, such as %, @, &, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of ideogram¹

First recorded in 1830–40; ideo- + -gram ¹

Example Sentences

Mr. Canby had a radically different assessment of Mr. Berger’s work this time, calling him “a lightweight” who “can function no more than as an ideogram for decadence.”

From New York Times

The scroll and the ideogram died out because of their simplicity, only to have been revived for that reason.

From New York Times

The scroll, one of the earliest technologies for reading, returned, as did the oldest form of writing, the ideogram, reincarnated in the emoji panel.

From New York Times

The technique smoothed our steps and reminded me of the ideogram C.S.

From Slate

A prizefighter’s journey is an existentialist ideogram for life, and the real fight, the real fifteen rounds, occurs in the heart, at home.”

From The New Yorker