What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pictograph
Example
The cave paintings were pictographs that depicted the daily life of early humans. [pictographs: plural noun]
Example
The ancient Egyptians used pictographs to write their hieroglyphics. [pictographs: plural noun]
ideogram
Example
The heart symbol is an ideogram that represents love and affection. [ideogram: noun]
Example
The Chinese character for 'love' is an ideogram that combines the symbols for 'heart' and 'acceptance'. [ideogram: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pictograph and ideogram are both relatively uncommon words in everyday language, but they are widely used in fields such as design, advertising, and data visualization.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between pictograph and ideogram?
Both pictograph and ideogram are formal words that are typically used in academic or professional contexts, rather than in casual conversation.
