logograph

/ˈlɔgəˌgræf/

Other forms: logographs

A logograph is a symbol that represents a whole word. You're probably familiar with logographs like & and $.

Logographs give you no clues about how to pronounce the word associated with them — they just have to be learned and memorized. You can also use this term (or logogram) for other characters or signs that represent a word. Chinese characters and hieroglyphs are often logographs, for example. Logos means "word" in Greek, and graphe means "writing."

Definitions of logograph

1. noun

   a single written symbol that represents an entire word or phrase without indicating its pronunciation
   synonyms: logogram

   type of:

   ideogram, ideograph

   a graphic character that indicates the meaning of a thing without indicating the sounds used to say it