Ancient Egyptian

English

Proper noun

Ancient Egyptian

1. the Afroasiatic language spoken and written in Ancient Egypt

   Synonym: Egyptian

Translations

the Egyptian language spoken in Ancient Egypt — see Egyptian

Noun

Ancient Egyptian (plural Ancient Egyptians)

1. A native or inhabitant of Ancient Egypt.
   • 2003, David O’Connor, Andrew Reid, “Introduction – Locating Ancient Egypt in Africa: Modern Theories, Past Realities”, in Ancient Egypt in Africa (Encounters with Ancient Egypt), UCL Press, →ISBN, page 11:

     This discussion of Egypt’s African dimension does not include consideration as to whether Ancient Egyptians were “black” or, to be more accurate, African in their genetic composition.

   • 2014, John Farndon, Do You Still Think You’re Clever?, Icon Books, →ISBN:

     Apparently, when Ancient Egyptians went to receive an oracle from a god, the priests often animated the god’s statue to add extra weight to their words.

   • 2021, Paul Hegarty, Annihilating Noise, Bloomsbury Academic, →ISBN:

     The idea of archaic or lost ritual hovers around Horii (1986) from the start, its title and imagery suggestive of Egyptian mythology, but also a kind of ur-mythology beyond that, which the music stands for, as if Ancient Egyptians had had a premonition of Organum’s direct access to the lost well-spring of their beliefs.

Usage notes

• Usually, ancient is not capitalized in this sense.

Adjective

Ancient Egyptian (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to Ancient Egypt.
   • 1993, Ancient Egypt, Folens, →ISBN, page 4:

     Consider the plan of the house at Deir el-Medina, information about El-Amarna and the picture. Is the model an accurate version of an Ancient Egyptian house?

   • 2000, Moustafa Gadalla, Egyptian Harmony: The Visual Music, Tehuti Research Foundation, published 2003, →ISBN, page 30:

     M. Villoteau, the French musician who accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte to Egypt over 200 years ago, described Ancient Egyptian instruments (tambouras) with 25 frets, which are capable of producing ¼ tones.

   • 2016, George Mann, Ghosts of Karnak, Titan Books, →ISBN:

     The newspapers were bursting with claims of wondrous finds; how the evidence from the dead queen’s tomb would forever change how the Ancient Egyptian religions were viewed.

Further reading

• Ancient Egyptian (Egyptian language) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia