What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
logographic
Example
Chinese is a logographic language that uses characters to represent words and concepts. [logographic: adjective]
Example
The Mayan script is an example of a logographic writing system. [logographic: adjective]
ideographic
Example
The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs are an example of an ideographic writing system. [ideographic: adjective]
Example
Some scholars believe that the Indus Valley script was ideographic in nature. [ideographic: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Logographic is a more common term than ideographic in everyday language, as logographic writing systems are still used in many modern languages. Ideographic systems, on the other hand, are primarily found in ancient scripts and historical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between logographic and ideographic?
Both logographic and ideographic are technical terms and may be considered formal in certain contexts, such as linguistics or anthropology. However, logographic is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, while ideographic is primarily used in academic or historical settings.