logogram

[ law-guh-gram, log-uh- ]

noun

1. Linguistics. a symbol that represents an entire word directly rather than representing a speech sound, such as a Chinese character. Compare ideogram ( def 1 ), phonogram ( def ).
2. a conventional, abbreviated symbol for a frequently recurring word or phrase, such as the symbol & for the word and.

logogram

/ ˈlɒɡəˌɡrɑːf; -ˌɡræf; ˌlɒɡəˈɡræfɪk; ˌlɒɡəɡrəˈmætɪk; ˈlɒɡəˌɡræm /

noun

1. a single symbol representing an entire morpheme, word, or phrase, as for example the symbol (%) meaning per cent

Derived Forms

• ˌlogogramˈmatically, adverb
• logogrammatic, adjective

Other Words From

• log·o·gram·mat·ic [law-g, uh, -gr, uh, -, mat, -ik, log-, uh, -], adjective
• log·o·gram·mat·i·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of logogram¹

First recorded in 1810–20; logo- + -gram ¹