pictogram
|pic-to-gram|
/ˈpɪk.tə.ɡræm/
picture as a sign/symbol
Etymology
'pictogram' originates from Latin and Greek elements, specifically the Latin 'pictus' (from 'pingere') where 'pict-' meant 'painted' and the Greek 'gramma' where 'gramma' meant 'letter' or 'thing written'.
'pictogram' developed in modern European languages (e.g. German 'Piktogramm' and French 'pictogramme') and entered English usage in the late 19th to early 20th century as 'pictogram'.
Initially it referred to a painted or drawn mark ('painted letter/mark'), but over time it came to mean a standardized pictorial symbol used to represent objects, ideas, instructions, or data.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a pictorial symbol that represents an object, idea, instruction, or concept, often used on signs to communicate quickly without words.
The restroom door had a pictogram of a person.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/21 21:31