noun
cuneiform
KYOO-nih-form
Cuneiform (noun) means an ancient Mesopotamian writing system made of wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets with a reed. Example: “Scholars can still read cuneiform on ancient clay tablets.”
noun
1
An ancient Mesopotamian writing system made of wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets with a reed.
"Scholars can still read cuneiform on ancient clay tablets."
"Cuneiform began as pictograms and became more abstract over time."
"The museum has a tablet inscribed in cuneiform."
2
anatomy In anatomy, a wedge-shaped bone, especially one of the cuneiform bones.
"The surgeon examined the cuneiform on the X-ray."
"She fractured the medial cuneiform in her foot."
"The report described a small cuneiform bone."
adjective
1
Shaped like a wedge, or written in the cuneiform writing system.
"The tablet was covered in cuneiform script."
"She studied cuneiform inscriptions at university."
"The marks had a distinctly cuneiform look."
How to use cuneiform
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWedge-shaped, or the ancient wedge-marked writing of Mesopotamia.
When to use it
It is mostly used in historical, scholarly and anatomical contexts.
Memory tip
Cuneiform names the writing system as a noun and describes wedge-shaped things as an adjective.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
cuneiform tablet
cuneiform script
cuneiform writing
cuneiform bone
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Scholars can still read _____ on ancient clay tablets.
Etymology
From French cunéiforme or New Latin cuneifōrmis, which came from Classical Latin cuneus, meaning wedge, and fōrma, meaning form or shape.
Synonyms
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wedge-shaped
cuneal
Rhymes for cuneiform
See all rhymes for cuneiform →Frequently asked questions
What is cuneiform?
Cuneiform is an ancient Mesopotamian writing system. It started as simple pictures in Sumer and became patterns of wedge-shaped marks pressed into wet clay with a reed.
Where does the word cuneiform come from?
It comes from French or New Latin, ultimately from Latin cuneus, meaning wedge, plus fōrma.
What does cuneiform mean as an adjective?
As an adjective it means wedge-shaped, or written in the cuneiform writing system.
What is the meaning of cuneiform?
"cuneiform" (noun) means an ancient Mesopotamian writing system made of wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets with a reed.
