adj. 1. Of or associated with sacred persons or offices; sacerdotal. 2. Constituting or relating to a simplified cursive style of Egyptian hieroglyphics, used in both sacred and secular writings. 3. Extremely formal or stylized, as in a work of art. [Latin hierāticus, from Greek hierātikos, from hierāteia, priesthood, from hierāsthai, to be a priest, from hiereus, priest, from hieros, holy; see eis- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] hi′er·ati·cal·ly adv. |
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