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

“Symbolist ideograms are easier to live with, but I am the I.R.S. man of a few bodies that inhabit New York City and visit my studio periodically.”

From New York Times

As Norah heads inland she will come across various symbols and ideograms on the surfaces of walls and objects which she’ll jot down in a notebook.

From Washington Post

The rules there stipulate that no pictographs, ideograms and diacritical marks for example è, ñ, ē, ç can be used when registering the birth.

From BBC

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

From New York Times