writing system

noun

A system for writing one or more languages; a particular alphabetic, syllabic, logographic, or other scheme. For example, the Latin alphabet or the Cyrillic alphabet.

Similar
scriptorthography
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Meanings

nounwriting system (plural writing systems)

plural writing systems

  1. human sciencesA system for writing one or more languages; a particular alphabetic, syllabic, logographic, or other scheme. For example, the Latin alphabet or the Cyrillic alphabet.

    Synonyms: script

  2. specificallyhuman sciencesThe basic type of a system for writing languages. For example, alphabetic writing or logographic writing.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA system for writing one or more languages; a particular alphabetic, syllabic, logographic, or other scheme. For example, the Latin alphabet or the Cyrillic alphabet.

Similar
script

More synonyms by meaning

nouna method of representing the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols

Similar
orthography
Broader
writing
Also see
orthographyscriptwriting

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From writing + system.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian пи́сменост
  • пи́сменост (písmenost)system for writing one or more languages
Chinese Mandarin 書寫系統 /书写系统, 文字
  • 書寫系統 /书写系统 (shūxiě xìtǒng)system for writing one or more languages
  • 文字 (wénzì)system for writing one or more languages
  • 書寫系統 /书写系统 (shūxiě xìtǒng)basic type of system for writing languages
  • 文字 (wénzì)basic type of system for writing languages
Esperanto skribsistemo
  • skribsistemosystem for writing one or more languages
Finnish kirjoitusjärjestelmä, kirjoitusjärjestelmä
  • kirjoitusjärjestelmäsystem for writing one or more languages
  • kirjoitusjärjestelmäbasic type of system for writing languages
French système d’écriture
  • système d’écrituresystem for writing one or more languages
Polish system pisma, system pisma
  • system pismasystem for writing one or more languages
  • system pismabasic type of system for writing languages
Russian пи́сьменность, письмо́
  • пи́сьменность (písʹmennostʹ)system for writing one or more languages
  • письмо́ (pisʹmó)system for writing one or more languages
Spanish sistema escritural, sistema escriturario
  • sistema escrituralsystem for writing one or more languages
  • sistema escriturariosystem for writing one or more languages
  • sistema escriptóreosystem for writing one or more languages
  • sistema escriptoriosystem for writing one or more languages
  • sistema escrituralbasic type of system for writing languages
  • sistema escriturariobasic type of system for writing languages
  • sistema escriptóreobasic type of system for writing languages
  • sistema escriptoriobasic type of system for writing languages
Turkish yazı dizgesi
  • yazı dizgesisystem for writing one or more languages
Cite this entry
APA

writing system. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writing%20system

MLA

“writing system.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writing%20system. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “writing system,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writing%20system.

Source: writing system on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.