ideogram

[ id-ee-uh-gram, ahy-dee- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Linguistics. a symbol that represents an idea or object directly rather than a particular word or speech sound, such as an arrow symbol to represent direction. Compare logogram ( def 1 ), phonogram ( def ).
a symbol that substitutes for a word or phrase, such as 7, =, or &; a logogram.

ideogram

/ ˈɪdɪəʊˌɡrɑːf; -ˌɡræf; ˈɪdɪəʊˌɡræm /

a sign or symbol, used in such writing systems as those of China or Japan, that directly represents a concept, idea, or thing rather than a word or set of words for it
any graphic sign or symbol, such as %, @, &, etc

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First recorded in 1830–40; ideo- + -gram ¹

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As Norah heads inland she will come across various symbols and ideograms on the surfaces of walls and objects which she’ll jot down in a notebook.

The common Sumerian ideogram for the name of the Tigris is al-al, an intensified form of al, which means “running” or “rushing”.

An-na, ideogram for the god of heaven, plus phonetic complement.

H” gives us a picture of a reed, the late cuneiform character being the ideogram for “kanu” which means a “reed.

Applied to a settlement, the ideogram would be the equivalent of our 'Fishtown.'

Further evidence to the same effect is given by the ancient writing, in which the ideogram for king was a star.

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