paleography

[ pey-lee-og-ruh-feeor, especially British, pal-ee- ]

noun

1. ancient forms of writing, as in documents and inscriptions.
2. the study of ancient writing, including determination of date, decipherment, etc.

Other Words From

• pale·ogra·pher noun
• pa·le·o·graph·ic [pey-lee-, uh, -, graf, -ik, pal-ee-], pale·o·graphi·cal adjective
• pale·o·graphi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of paleography¹

First recorded in 1810–20; paleo- + -graphy

Example Sentences

An American married to a rising paleography scholar at Oxford, Lowe-Porter was raising three daughters and helping make ends meet with occasional translation work when, in 1922, Alfred A. Knopf sent “Buddenbrooks,” Mann’s first novel, her way.

From New York Times

He edited a railway magazine and worked for the International Wool Secretariat, an industry group, while resuming his education through correspondence courses for a bachelor’s degree and master’s in bibliography and paleography.

From New York Times

He demonstrated his ability to accurately transcribe a barely-legible original manuscript of Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” by disporting his skills in paleography, the study of ancient and antiquated writing systems.

From New York Times

Dr. Tov said he was “inclined toward a first-century date, based on paleography.”

From New York Times

Both Dr. Tov and Dr. Segal said that scholars might come to consider the En-Gedi manuscript as a Dead Sea scroll, especially if the early date indicated by paleography is confirmed.

From New York Times