Cuneiform

//ˈkjuː.nɪ.fɔːm// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An ancient Mesopotamian writing system, adapted within several language families, originating as pictograms in Sumer around the 30th century BC, evolving into more abstract and characteristic wedge shapes formed by a blunt reed stylus on clayen tablets.
  2. 2
    an ancient wedge-shaped script used in Mesopotamia and Persia wordnet
  3. 3
    A wedge-shaped bone, especially a cuneiform bone.
Adjective
  1. 1
    Having the form of a wedge; wedge-shaped, especially with a tapered end. not-comparable

    "About midway across the larger log a cuneiform notch or cut about six inches deep was made."

  2. 2
    Written in the cuneiform writing system. not-comparable

    "There, too, it was originally the vulgar script in contrast with the official cuneiform script employed for all official documents, compacts, etc."

Adjective
  1. 1
    of or relating to the tarsal bones (or other wedge-shaped bones) wordnet
  2. 2
    shaped like a wedge wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
wedge shapedarrowheadcharactercunealcunealcuneate

Example

More examples

"The cuneiform alphabet invented by the Sumerians was used by many languages in the ancient Near East."

Etymology

From French cunéiforme or New Latin cuneifōrmis, from Classical Latin cuneus (“wedge”) + fōrma.

Related phrases

cuneiform boneold persian

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.