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cuneiform

/kjuˈniəˌfɔrm/
IPA guide

Other forms: cuneiforms

Cuneiform is a type of writing that was used in ancient Mesopotamia and Persia. In a museum, you might see artifacts such as stone tablets with cuneiform carved into them.

Cuneiform is typically pronounced "kyoo-NEE-uh-form." Back in Mesopotamian times, you would have written by carving wedge-shaped characters that make up a language called cuneiform. From the shape of the characters, we get the adjective cuneiform, which means "wedge-shaped," like a cuneiform platter. Cuneiform also describes wedge-shaped bones, like those found in the lower leg.

Definitions of cuneiform
  1. noun
    an ancient wedge-shaped script used in Mesopotamia and Persia
    see moresee less
    types:
    Babylonian
    the ideographic and syllabic writing system in which the ancient Babylonian language was written
    type of:
    script
    a particular orthography or writing system
  2. adjective
    shaped like a wedge
    synonyms: cuneal, wedge-shaped
  3. adjective
    of or relating to the tarsal bones (or other wedge-shaped bones)
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