hieratic

/haɪəˈrætɪk/
adjective
  1. Relating to priests or the priesthood; priestly.
    • The hieratic rituals were performed only by the high priest.
    • Ancient Egyptian hieratic writing was used for religious texts.
    • The temple's hieratic symbols were carved into the stone walls.
  2. Of or relating to a cursive form of ancient Egyptian writing, distinct from hieroglyphic.
    • The papyrus was written in hieratic, not hieroglyphics.
    • Hieratic writing was faster to inscribe than the more formal hieroglyphs.
    • Scholars study hieratic script to understand everyday life in ancient Egypt.
  3. Formal or stylized in a way that suggests religious or priestly authority; solemn and ceremonial.
    • The artist's hieratic style gave the painting a sacred, timeless feel.
    • His hieratic posture and slow gestures made him seem like a figure from an ancient ritual.
    • The music had a hieratic quality, as if it were meant for a temple ceremony.
Antonyms
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