hieratic

UK: /ˌhaɪəˈrætɪk/ US: (hī′ə rat′ik, hī rat′-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hi•er•at•ic  (hī′ə rat′ik, hī rat′-), adj. 

1. Religion Also, hi′er•at′i•cal. of or pertaining to priests or the priesthood;
   sacerdotal;
   priestly.
2. Antiquity, Linguistics noting or pertaining to a form of ancient Egyptian writing consisting of abridged forms of hieroglyphics, used by the priests in their records.
3. Fine Art noting or pertaining to certain styles in art in which the representations or methods are fixed by or as if by religious tradition.
4. highly restrained or severe in emotional import:
   Some of the more hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved.

n. 

5. Antiquity, Linguistics ancient Egyptian hieratic writing.

• Greek hierātikós pertaining to the priesthood, priestly, equivalent. to hierā-, variant stem of hierâsthai to perform priestly functions (verb, verbal derivative of hierós sacred; see hiero-) + -ikos -ic, with -t- by analogy with derivatives from agent nouns in -tēs (compare athlete, athletic)
• Latin hierāticus
• 1650–60

hi′er•at′i•cal•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hieratic / ˌhaɪəˈrætɪk/ adjective
also: hieratical

1. of or relating to priests
2. of or relating to a cursive form of hieroglyphics used by priests in ancient Egypt
3. of or relating to styles in art that adhere to certain fixed types or methods, as in ancient Egypt

noun

1. the hieratic script of ancient Egypt

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin hierāticus, from Greek hieratikos, from hiereus a priest, from hieros holy

ˌhierˈatically adverb