CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en-US" prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=0"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="upgrade-insecure-requests"> <link rel="profile" href="https://gmpg.org/xfn/11" /> <link rel="pingback" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/xmlrpc.php" /> <script src="https://www.dictionary.com/user-data-context/v1"></script> <script> const isSubscriber = /__is_subscriber__=true/.test(document.cookie); const isLoggedIn = /CognitoIdentityServiceProvider\.[\w.-]+\.idToken/.test( document.cookie ) </script> <script> (function(h,o,u,n,d) { h=h[d]=h[d]||{q:[],onReady:function(c){h.q.push(c)}} d=o.createElement(u);d.async=1;d.src=n n=o.getElementsByTagName(u)[0];n.parentNode.insertBefore(d,n) })(window,document,'script','https://www.datadoghq-browser-agent.com/datadog-rum-v4.js','DD_RUM') DD_RUM.onReady(function() { DD_RUM.init({ applicationId: 'b0f6faa8-6a3f-432f-9a20-3af27e86792a', clientToken: 'pub49ea6292cff104ed2553b92bd701f0a5', env: 'prod', service: 'wordpress', sessionReplaySampleRate: '20', sessionSampleRate: '0.1', site: 'datadoghq.com', trackLongTasks: true, trackResources: true, trackUserInteractions: true, version: 'main-401', }) }) </script> <script id="adobe-analytics-prehide"> !(function(e, t, n, i){ const o='at-body-style'; function a(){ return t.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];} !(function(e, n, i){ if (e){ var o=t.createElement('style'); (o.id=n), (o.innerHTML=i), e.appendChild(o);}})(a(), o, 'body{opacity: 0 !important}'), setTimeout(function(){ !(function(e, n){ if (e){ var i=t.getElementById(n); i && e.removeChild(i);}})(a(), o);}, 500);})(window, document); </script>  <script src="https://unpkg.com/babel-standalone@6.26.0/babel.js" crossorigin ></script>  <script src="https://assets.dictionary.com/exports/prod/dictionary.com-vendors.js"></script> <script src="https://assets.dictionary.com/exports/prod/dictionary.com-exports.js"></script>  <script type="text/babel"> /* Destructure our library members */ const { Footer, getSiteContext, GlobalStyles, Header, React, ReactDomClient } = DictionaryComExports const setRenderMethod = (element, container) => { const { hydrateRoot, createRoot } = ReactDomClient; if (container.children.length) { hydrateRoot(container, element) } else { const root = createRoot(container) root.render(element) } } /** * Get and destructure site context. * `getSiteContext` is an optional utility function that helps determine which of our sites is active (dictionary vs. thesaurus), * and determines the appropriate dictionaryUrl and thesaurusUrl for the current environment. This may not work for all * implementations. */ const { dictionaryUrl, name: selectedSite, thesaurusUrl } = getSiteContext(window.location) /** * Render our global styles first! */ setRenderMethod( <GlobalStyles />, document.getElementById('dotcom-exports-global-styles') ) /** * Render the exported Header module * @param {string} [dictionaryUrl] Allows use of an environment relative link for the Dictionary tab. * E.g., "https://xyz.dictionary.com". Uses "https://wwww.dictionary.com" as the default. * @param {string} selectedSite The current actively selected site ("dictionary" vs. "thesaurus"). * @param {string} [thesaurusUrl] Allows use of an environment relative link for the Thesaurus tab. * E.g., "https://xyz.thesaurus.com". Uses "https://www.thesaurus.com" as the default. */ setRenderMethod( <Header selectedSite={selectedSite} isLoggedIn={isLoggedIn} isSubscriber={isSubscriber} shouldShowProfileCtas={true} />, document.getElementById('dotcom-exports-header') ) /** * Render the exported Footer module * @param {string} [dictionaryUrl] Allows use of an environment relative link for the Dictionary tab. * E.g., "https://xyz.dictionary.com". Uses "https://wwww.dictionary.com" as the default. * @param {string} selectedSite The current actively selected site ("dictionary" vs. "thesaurus"). * @param {string} [thesaurusUrl] Allows use of an environment relative link for the Thesaurus tab. * E.g., "https://xyz.thesaurus.com". Uses "https://www.thesaurus.com" as the default. */ setRenderMethod( <Footer selectedSite={selectedSite} isLoggedIn={isLoggedIn} />, document.getElementById('dotcom-exports-footer') ) </script> <title>When Was Writing Invented? - Thesaurus.com</title> <meta name='robots' content='max-image-preview:large' />  <meta name="description" content="We take typing for granted, but when were the first forms of writing invented? Read about the history behind our greatest invention (besides sliced bread)."/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/when-was-writing-invented/" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:title" content="When Was Writing Invented?" /> <meta property="og:description" content="We take typing for granted, but when were the first forms of writing invented? Read about the history behind our greatest invention (besides sliced bread)." /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/when-was-writing-invented/" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Thesaurus.com" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="category-writing" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="interest-handwriting" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="interest-history" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="interest-writing" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="serp-mesopotamia" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="serp-writing" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="type-article" /> <meta property="article:section" content="Writing" /> <meta property="article:published_time" content="2020-12-04T01:05:18-08:00" /> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2021-03-02T21:29:57-08:00" /> <meta property="og:updated_time" content="2021-03-02T21:29:57-08:00" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="We take typing for granted, but when were the first forms of writing invented? Read about the history behind our greatest invention (besides sliced bread)." /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="When Was Writing Invented?" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700.jpg" />  <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//cdnjs.cloudflare.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//assets.adobedtm.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//s.w.org' /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Thesaurus.com » Feed" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/feed/" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Thesaurus.com » Comments Feed" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/comments/feed/" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Thesaurus.com » When Was Writing Invented? Comments Feed" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/when-was-writing-invented/feed/" /> <script type="text/javascript"> window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=5.7.6"}}; !function(e,a,t){var n,r,o,i=a.createElement("canvas"),p=i.getContext&&i.getContext("2d");function s(e,t){var a=String.fromCharCode;p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,e),0,0);e=i.toDataURL();return p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,t),0,0),e===i.toDataURL()}function c(e){var t=a.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=t.type="text/javascript",a.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(t)}for(o=Array("flag","emoji"),t.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},r=0;r<o.length;r++)t.supports[o[r]]=function(e){if(!p||!p.fillText)return!1;switch(p.textBaseline="top",p.font="600 32px Arial",e){case"flag":return s([127987,65039,8205,9895,65039],[127987,65039,8203,9895,65039])?!1:!s([55356,56826,55356,56819],[55356,56826,8203,55356,56819])&&!s([55356,57332,56128,56423,56128,56418,56128,56421,56128,56430,56128,56423,56128,56447],[55356,57332,8203,56128,56423,8203,56128,56418,8203,56128,56421,8203,56128,56430,8203,56128,56423,8203,56128,56447]);case"emoji":return!s([55357,56424,8205,55356,57212],[55357,56424,8203,55356,57212])}return!1}(o[r]),t.supports.everything=t.supports.everything&&t.supports[o[r]],"flag"!==o[r]&&(t.supports.everythingExceptFlag=t.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&t.supports[o[r]]);t.supports.everythingExceptFlag=t.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!t.supports.flag,t.DOMReady=!1,t.readyCallback=function(){t.DOMReady=!0},t.supports.everything||(n=function(){t.readyCallback()},a.addEventListener?(a.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",n,!1),e.addEventListener("load",n,!1)):(e.attachEvent("onload",n),a.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function(){"complete"===a.readyState&&t.readyCallback()})),(n=t.source||{}).concatemoji?c(n.concatemoji):n.wpemoji&&n.twemoji&&(c(n.twemoji),c(n.wpemoji)))}(window,document,window._wpemojiSettings); </script> <style type="text/css"> img.wp-smiley, img.emoji { display: inline !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; height: 1em !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0 .07em !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0 !important; } </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-block-library-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-includes/css/dist/block-library/style.min.css?ver=5.7.6' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-parsely-style-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/plugins/wp-parsely/wp-parsely.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='theme-font-awesome-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/assets/font-awesome.min.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='theme-styles-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/style.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='theme-magnific-popup-styles-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/assets/magnific-popup.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='theme-main-styles-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/assets/bundle-main.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='theme-marketing-message-styles-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/assets/bundle-marketing-message.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='theme-post-single-styles-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/assets/bundle-post-single.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='thesaurus-styles-css' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/thesaurus/style.css?ver=1719510412' type='text/css' media='all' /> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js?ver=3.5.1' id='jquery-core-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' async src='https://assets.adobedtm.com/d14cd3d8edd3/14b6230c7d29/launch-c9de4f1040cd.min.js?ver=5.7.6' id='adobe-analytics-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' id='adobe-analytics-visitor-id-js-before'> const CONSTANTS = { ADOBE_ID: "AA9D3B6A630E2C2A0A495C40"} </script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-adobe-analytics-visitor-id.js?ver=1719510455' id='adobe-analytics-visitor-id-js'></script> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/xmlrpc.php?rsd" /> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml" /> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 5.7.6" /> <link rel='shortlink' href='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/?p=2742' /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwriting%2Fwhen-was-writing-invented%2F" /> <link rel="alternate" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwriting%2Fwhen-was-writing-invented%2F&format=xml" />  <meta name="wp-parsely_version" id="wp-parsely_version" content="2.0"/> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/writing\/when-was-writing-invented\/"},"headline":"When Was Writing Invented?","url":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/writing\/when-was-writing-invented\/","thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700-150x150.jpg","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700-150x150.jpg"},"dateCreated":"2020-12-04T09:05:18Z","datePublished":"2020-12-04T09:05:18Z","dateModified":"2020-12-04T09:05:18Z","articleSection":"Writing","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":""}],"creator":[""],"keywords":["category-writing","interest-handwriting","interest-history","interest-writing","serp-mesopotamia","serp-writing","type-article"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Thesaurus.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Thesaurus_Favicon.png"}}} </script>  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="CW6ZjP5DwCOJ8EiGWZuA54-ScKUf9H8kWiXsiX3Nadg"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="eaz-atw"/> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="DLu1Js46XMS-px52kkEC5A8tn60ic7gGqdLD8TuONtI" /> <meta name="sailthru.tags" content="category-writing,interest-handwriting,interest-history,interest-writing,serp-mesopotamia,serp-writing,type-article" /> <meta name="sailthru.author" content="Dictionary.com" /> <meta name="date" content="2020-12-04 01:05:18" /> <meta name="sailthru.image.full" content="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700.jpg" /> <meta name="sailthru.image.thumb" content="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700-500x500.jpg" /> <meta name="category" content="writing" /> <meta name="type" content="type-article" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Thesaurus_Favicon.png" sizes="32x32" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Thesaurus_Favicon.png" sizes="192x192" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Thesaurus_Favicon.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Thesaurus_Favicon.png" /> <script type="text/javascript"> var showAds = !isLoggedIn || !isSubscriber; var siteDomain = document.location.hostname.includes('dictionary') ? 'dictionary' : 'thesaurus'; var otDataDomain = siteDomain === 'dictionary' ? "9d2f702e-426c-4de5-ac78-0c73a7f21691" : "4c06e796-da34-48c6-baad-9b88a72f9e09" var otScript = document.createElement('script'); otScript.src = "https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js"; otScript.type = 'text/javascript'; otScript.charset = "UTF-8"; otScript.setAttribute('data-domain-script', otDataDomain ); var node = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; node.parentNode.insertBefore(otScript, node); var locations = ["US", "UK", "CA", "AU", "NZ"]; var isSovrn = locations.includes(userDataContext.countryCode); const randomIdentifier = () => { const max = 999999; const min = 100000; const rand = Math.floor(Math.random() * (max - min)) + min; const time = new Date().getTime(); return `${rand}-${time}`; }; const manageSessionId = (value)=>{ const domain = document.location.hostname.split('.').splice(-2).join('.'); const expires = value ? '' : 'max-age=0;' document.cookie = `sid=${value}; domain=${domain}; secure=true; samesite=none; ${expires}`; } const determineConsent = () => { const id = randomIdentifier() if (window.__gpp) { window.setTimeout(() => { window.__gpp( 'getField', (data, success) => { if (success && data !== 1) { manageSessionId(id) } else { manageSessionId() } }, 'usnatv1.PersonalDataConsents' ) }, 2000) } else if (window.__tcfapi) { window.__tcfapi('addEventListener', 2, (tcData, success) => { if (success && Object.keys(tcData.purpose.consents).length > 0) { manageSessionId(id) } else { manageSessionId() } }) } } function OptanonWrapper() { determineConsent() if (!showAds) return; var pm = document.createElement('script'); if (isSovrn) { var propertag = propertag || {}; propertag.cmd = propertag.cmd || []; (function() { pm.async = true; pm.type = 'text/javascript'; var is_ssl = 'https:' == document.location.protocol; pm.src = (is_ssl ? 'https:' : 'http:') +'//global.proper.io/'+siteDomain+'.min.js'; })(); } else { pm.src = 'https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js'; window.googletag = window.googletag || { cmd: [] }; } node.parentNode.insertBefore(pm, node); } </script> <script> window.addEventListener('message', function (event) { if (!isSubscriber || event.origin !== document.location.origin) { return } var key = 'lre:playerReady://' var data = event.data || ''; if (typeof data === 'string' && data.startsWith(key)) { var idString = data.substring(key.length); var idObj = { sessionId: false } try { idObj = JSON.parse(idString) } catch (e) { } if (!!idObj.sessionId) { var widget = anyclip.getWidget(null, idObj.sessionId) if (typeof widget.pauseMon === 'function') { widget.pauseMon() } } } }) </script> </head> <body class="post-template-default single single-post postid-2742 single-format-standard has-breadcrumbs" data-slug="when-was-writing-invented-thesaurus-com"> <div class="wrapper"> <div id="dotcom-exports-global-styles" style="display: contents"></div> <div id="dotcom-exports-header" style="display: contents"></div> <div class="main shell"> <div class="ad ad-top" id="ad-wrapper-top"> </div> <script> var adWrappers = document.getElementsByClassName('ad-top'); var getAdWrapper = () => { if (adWrappers.length === 1) { return adWrappers[0]; } else { for (adWrapper of adWrappers) { var childNodes = adWrapper.children; if (childNodes.length === 0) { var grandParentNode = adWrapper.parentNode.parentNode; var isVisibleNode = !(grandParentNode.style.display === 'none') if (isVisibleNode) { return adWrapper; } } } } } var adWrapper = getAdWrapper() if (adWrapper) { var adUnit = document.createElement('div'); if (isSovrn) { adUnit.classList.add('thesaurus_leaderboard_728x90_flex_1'); adUnit.setAttribute('data-text', 'Sovrn Advertisement'); adWrapper.appendChild(adUnit); var hasWindow = typeof window !== 'undefined'; var hasProperBuildSlots = hasWindow && typeof window.properBuildSlots !== 'undefined'; if (hasProperBuildSlots) { window.properBuildSlots(); }; } else { adUnit.id = 'crb-ad-slot-top' adUnit.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var adContainer = document.createElement('div'); adContainer.classList.add("ad__container"); if ("adhesion") { adContainer.classList.add("adhesion"); } adContainer.id = "crb-ad-container-top"; adContainer.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var adContainerInner = document.createElement('div'); adContainerInner.classList.add('ad__container-inner'); adContainerInner.id = "crb-ad-container-inner-top"; adContainerInner.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); adWrapper.appendChild(adUnit); adContainerInner.appendChild(adUnit); adContainer.appendChild(adContainerInner); adWrapper.appendChild(adContainer); } } </script> <div class="content"> <div class="paging-top-wrapper"> <div class="article-paging paging-top"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-create-writing-samples/" class="paging__prev" data-linkid="kyhtse"> <span class="short"> Previous </span> <span class="full"> 7 Tips For Compiling And Creating Writing Samples That Stand Out </span> </a> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/responding-to-gift-you-dont-like/" class="paging__next" data-linkid="vpzkfy"> <span class="short"> Next </span> <span class="full"> 6 Ways To Respond To A Gift You Don't Like </span> </a> </div> </div> <article class="article article__single post-2742 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-writing tag-category-writing tag-interest-handwriting tag-interest-history tag-interest-writing tag-serp-mesopotamia tag-serp-writing tag-type-article"> <header class="article__head"> <h1 class="article__title"> When Was Writing Invented? </h1> <div class="article__date"> <time datetime="2020-12-04">December 4, 2020</time> </div> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/when-was-writing-invented/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700-790x310.jpg" > </a> </div> </header> <div class="article__body"> <div class="article__entry"> <p>Life as we know it would not exist without writing. The written word helps people do business, exchange culture, and easily learn things, like where the written word comes from in the first place.</p> <p>Humans have relied on writing as a crucial way to pass on knowledge for thousands of years. Yet <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/writing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">writing</a> didn鈥檛 just come about out of the blue. The earliest forms of writing consisted primarily of basic markings used to <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/record" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">record</a> trade. Essentially, writing started with <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/receipt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">receipts</a>, and it evolved piece by piece into what we understand today.</p> <h2><strong>When did humans invent writing?</strong></h2> <p>Four different writing systems were created around the world completely independent of each other. Those were in <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/mesopotamia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mesopotamia</a> (around modern-day Iraq), China, Egypt, and <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/mesoamerica" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mesoamerica</a> (which ranges from modern-day Costa Rica to central Mexico). Despite coming at different times and having a vast range of styles, each of the writing systems served one purpose: to convey information.</p> <p>There are some key dates that archaeologists and researchers have been able to pinpoint. Based on the surviving evidence of written <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">texts</a>, humans invented writing in Mesopotamia sometime between 3400 BCE and 3300 BCE. Proof of writing in Egypt has been found that dates back to 3200 BCE, and in what is now China around 1300 BCE. In Mesoamerica, researchers have found proof of writing that dates back to between 900 and 600 BCE.</p> <p>The dates are staggered, but the earliest use for these four written languages is similar: business and religion.</p> <p>Today, what we know about the earliest forms of writing comes from what has survived the test of time. That means the dates aren鈥檛 exact鈥攊t鈥檚 impossible to find a piece of wood with written words on it if that wood has completely disintegrated over the years, after all.</p> <p>As humans developed agriculture and congregated in cities, they traded <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/good" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">goods</a> between themselves and other groups. Someone had to keep track of what was going where and who was giving it. <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/symbol" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Symbols</a>鈥攁 drawing of a jar of olive oil, for example, or some grain鈥攚ere the first way to do that. The symbols became more advanced over time, and eventually cultures turned their symbol-based writing into <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/character" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">characters</a> that represent a sound. With these characters, people could make various words and transfer much more complex information to anyone who understood them.</p> <p>The full story (or as full of the story as experts have been able to cobble together) is a little more complicated.</p> <h2><strong>Mesopotamia: between 3,400 BCE and 3,300 BCE</strong></h2> <p>The oldest form of writing we know about today comes from Mesopotamia. It鈥檚 the easiest form of early writing to study (relatively, at least, since we鈥檙e talking about 5,000-plus year old samples) because the <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sumerian" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sumerians</a> who lived there carved their characters into clay that was then baked. Some of that clay was hardy enough to last to this day.</p> <p>Researchers call the writing <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/cuneiform" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cuneiform</a>, which comes from <em>cuneus</em>, the Latin word for <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/wedge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wedge</a>. It got the name from the wedges used to imprint marks into clay.</p> <p>First, Sumerians used writing solely for <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/record-keeping" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recordkeeping</a>, because business must go on. The earliest writing was in the form of <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pictograph" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pictographs</a>, which are little drawings that represent an object, and numbers. With this type of writing, people could do things like record the sale of 47 goats with a few marks in clay. Those marks were a whole lot easier than receiving 47 clay tokens to represent each goat.</p> <p>Simple ticks evolved into writing characters that represent <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/syllables" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">syllables</a> in the language sometime around 3000 BCE. Much more complex messages were able to be recorded with those syllable representations, and writing started to reflect spoken language for the first time. Religion, royalty, and business were the topics of the day.</p> <p>And while the very earliest writing stuck to hard business, this later (but still very early) form of writing allowed <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/literate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">literate</a> people to record more nebulous things like ideas.</p> <h2><strong>Egypt: around 3,200 BCE</strong></h2> <p>If you鈥檝e ever seen a picture of the Egyptian pyramids (or you鈥檝e been lucky enough to see them in person), then you know that the Ancient <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/egyptian" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Egyptians</a> carved plenty of words into stone. The earliest of these came in the form of <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hieroglyph" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hieroglyphs</a>, which are pictographic symbols that represent objects.</p> <p>The depictions we have today typically revolved around religion and the afterlife (particularly receipts for what the dead were taking with them to the afterlife). Ancient Egyptians also used <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/reed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reed</a> brushes as a proto-pen to write on <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/papyrus" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">papyrus</a> scrolls, where other texts鈥攔anging in subject from religion to business to royal matters鈥攚ere recorded.</p> <p>Writing developed in Ancient Egypt in a similar way to how it developed in Mesopotamia. The pictures eventually moved to characters that represent syllables, and then to characters that represent letters that could be understood as words. Records of an Ancient Egyptian <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/alphabet" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">alphabet</a> date back to around 1850 BCE.</p> <h2><strong>China: around 1,200 BCE</strong></h2> <p>The oldest surviving form of writing from China dates back to 1200 BCE, and it has nothing to do with business. Offerings to the dead were found in Anyang in northern China with writing carved into ox bones and turtle shells. These oracle bones asked questions about future harvests, children, and wars.</p> <p>The carved records researchers have found include some 4,000 characters. So even though they鈥檙e the earliest writings in China that scholars are aware of, there were likely many other earlier forms of writing that took place before people in 1200 BCE got to the advanced, 4,000-character writing stage.</p> <h2><strong>Mesoamerica: around 900 BCE</strong></h2> <p>The earliest known writing in Mesoamerica was done by the <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/olmec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Olmec</a> around 900 BCE. Writings from the <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/zapotec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Zapotec</a> followed sometime around 500 BCE. Unfortunately, far less is known about the texts as is known about the earliest writing in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. One thing is clear, however: some of the first written language was recorded in Mesoamerica, and it developed independently of other written languages.</p> <p>These texts are believed to be linked to the writing of the <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/maya" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maya</a>. Written Mayan characters have been found and deciphered from carvings on thrones, altars, and palaces that date back to between 200 and 400 BCE.</p> <p>Like with all ancient writing, the texts that started it all may be lost to time simply because no writing surface lasts forever.</p> <p> </p> <p> <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/e/s/types-of-handwriting/#1" class="article__callout-link" target="_blank">It wasn’t too long before carving in stone became careful script. Learn more about the ways handwriting has changed over time.</a> </p> </div> </div> <footer class="article__foot"> <div class="share trigger-share-links"> <ul> <li> <a href="https://facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwriting%2Fwhen-was-writing-invented%2F" class="ico-facebook" target="_blank" data-linkid="begyaa"></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?text=When+Was+Writing+Invented%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwriting%2Fwhen-was-writing-invented%2F" class="ico-twitter" target="_blank" data-linkid="agbu2i"></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwriting%2Fwhen-was-writing-invented%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2F20201202_historyOfWriting_1000x700.jpg&description=When+Was+Writing+Invented%3F" class="ico-pinterest" target="_blank" data-linkid="r0ond7"></a> </li> <li> <a href="mailto:?subject=When+Was+Writing+Invented%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesaurus.com%2Fe%2Fwriting%2Fwhen-was-writing-invented%2F" class="ico-email" target="_blank" data-linkid="m52euo"></a> </li> </ul> </div> </footer> </article> <div class="article-paging paging-bottom"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-create-writing-samples/" class="paging__prev" data-linkid="iwvxtm"> <span class="short"> Previous </span> <span class="full"> 7 Tips For Compiling And Creating Writing Samples That Stand Out </span> </a> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/responding-to-gift-you-dont-like/" class="paging__next" data-linkid="ln7xh0"> <span class="short"> Next </span> <span class="full"> 6 Ways To Respond To A Gift You Don't Like </span> </a> </div> <div class="you-might-also-like you-might-also-like--title-default"> <div class="h4">RELATED POSTS</div> <div class="articles__grid articles__grid--three-items articles_grid--with-borders" > <ol class="articles"> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-use-wordplay-to-elevate-your-poetry/" data-cts='{"linkId":"uqagl6","infix":"","domain":"dictionary.com","clkpage":"dic","clkmod":"Related","clksite":"dict","clkld":0,"ordinal":1}'> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240411_Wordplay_1920x1080-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-use-wordplay-to-elevate-your-poetry/" data-cts='{"linkId":"uqagl6","infix":"","domain":"dictionary.com","clkpage":"dic","clkmod":"Related","clksite":"dict","clkld":0,"ordinal":1}'> <span>How To Use Wordplay To Elevate Your Poetry</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/potter-plagiarism/" data-cts='{"linkId":"uqagl6","infix":"","domain":"dictionary.com","clkpage":"dic","clkmod":"Related","clksite":"dict","clkld":0,"ordinal":2}'> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Plagiarism_1000x700_jpg_f8RH9ijx-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/potter-plagiarism/" data-cts='{"linkId":"uqagl6","infix":"","domain":"dictionary.com","clkpage":"dic","clkmod":"Related","clksite":"dict","clkld":0,"ordinal":2}'> <span>What Is Plagiarism?</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/righttoleft/" data-cts='{"linkId":"uqagl6","infix":"","domain":"dictionary.com","clkpage":"dic","clkmod":"Related","clksite":"dict","clkld":0,"ordinal":3}'> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/LanguagesWritten_1000x700_jpg_te_ec3OH-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/righttoleft/" data-cts='{"linkId":"uqagl6","infix":"","domain":"dictionary.com","clkpage":"dic","clkmod":"Related","clksite":"dict","clkld":0,"ordinal":3}'> <span>Why Some Languages Are Written Right To Left</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> </li> </ol> </div> </div> <div class="you-might-also-like"> <div class="h4"><span class="widget__icon"><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/images/temp/ico-arrow.png" alt=""></span>YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE</div> <div class="featured-article"> <div class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/wordplay-in-poetry/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240411_Wordplay_1920x1080-590x380.jpg" > </a> </div> <div class="article__wrap"> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/wordplay-in-poetry/" data-linkid=""> <span>How To Use Wordplay To Elevate Your Poetry</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> <div class="article-entry"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="articles__grid articles__grid--two-items articles_grid--with-borders" > <ol class="articles"> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-use-wordplay-to-elevate-your-poetry/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240411_Wordplay_1920x1080-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-use-wordplay-to-elevate-your-poetry/" data-linkid=""> <span>How To Use Wordplay To Elevate Your Poetry</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/s/peace-synonyms/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20210917_peace_1000x700-382x247.png" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/s/peace-synonyms/" data-linkid=""> <span>Come Together For 14 Agreeable Words About Peace</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/" data-linkid="89gi58">Ways To Say</a></p> </div> </header> </li> </ol> </div> <div class="articles__grid articles__grid--three-items articles_grid--with-borders" > <ol class="articles"> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-write-a-haiku/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240401_hiakus_1920x1080-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-write-a-haiku/" data-linkid=""> <span>How to Write a Haiku: Tips and Examples</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/hip-hop-poetry-terms/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230802_states_poetry-1920x1080-1-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/hip-hop-poetry-terms/" data-linkid=""> <span>Hip-Hop: The World鈥檚 Most Popular Poetry (And How It Works)</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/" data-linkid="89gi58">Ways To Say</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-write-poetry/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230815_poetry_1920x1080-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-write-poetry/" data-linkid=""> <span>The Power Of Poetry: A Beginner’s Guide To Writing Poetry</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> </li> </ol> </div> <div class="featured-article"> <div class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/s/types-of-poems/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20210315_poem_1000x700-590x380.jpg" > </a> </div> <div class="article__wrap"> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/s/types-of-poems/" data-linkid=""> <span>9 Types Of Poems To Spark Your Creativity</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/" data-linkid="89gi58">Writing</a></p> </div> </header> <div class="article-entry"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="articles__grid articles__grid--three-items articles_grid--with-borders" > <ol class="articles"> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/it-is-i-vs-its-me/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MeOrI_1920x1080-382x247.png" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/it-is-i-vs-its-me/" data-linkid=""> <span>Which Is Correct? It Is I Vs. It Is Me</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/" data-linkid="89gi58">Grammar</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/lust-vs-love/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240314_loveLust_1920x1080-382x247.jpg" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/lust-vs-love/" data-linkid=""> <span>Lust Vs. Love: The Heart Of The Difference</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/" data-linkid="89gi58">Grammar</a></p> </div> </header> </li> <li class="article"> <div class="article__image js-image-fit"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/woman-vs-women/" data-linkid=""> <img loading="lazy" alt="" title="" src="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/womanWomen_1920x10801920x1080-2-382x247.png" > </a> </div> <header class="article__head"> <div class="article__title"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/woman-vs-women/" data-linkid=""> <span>Woman vs. Women: What’s the Difference?</span> </a> </div> <div class="article__meta"> <p class="article__category"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/" data-linkid="89gi58">Grammar</a></p> </div> </header> </li> </ol> </div> </div> </div> <div class="sidebar"> <ul class="widgets"> <li id="carbon_fields_widget_ad-2" class=" hide-on-mobile widget widget_ad carbon_fields_widget_ad"> <div class="ad ad-middle" id="ad-wrapper-middle"> </div> <script> var adWrappers = document.getElementsByClassName('ad-middle'); var getAdWrapper = () => { if (adWrappers.length === 1) { return adWrappers[0]; } else { for (adWrapper of adWrappers) { var childNodes = adWrapper.children; if (childNodes.length === 0) { var grandParentNode = adWrapper.parentNode.parentNode; var isVisibleNode = !(grandParentNode.style.display === 'none') if (isVisibleNode) { return adWrapper; } } } } } var adWrapper = getAdWrapper() if (adWrapper) { var adUnit = document.createElement('div'); if (isSovrn) { adUnit.classList.add('thesaurus_right_rail_300x250_flex_1'); adUnit.setAttribute('data-text', 'Sovrn Advertisement'); adWrapper.appendChild(adUnit); var hasWindow = typeof window !== 'undefined'; var hasProperBuildSlots = hasWindow && typeof window.properBuildSlots !== 'undefined'; if (hasProperBuildSlots) { window.properBuildSlots(); }; } else { adUnit.id = 'crb-ad-slot-middle' adUnit.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var adContainer = document.createElement('div'); adContainer.classList.add("ad__container"); if ("") { adContainer.classList.add(""); } adContainer.id = "crb-ad-container-middle"; adContainer.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var adContainerInner = document.createElement('div'); adContainerInner.classList.add('ad__container-inner'); adContainerInner.id = "crb-ad-container-inner-middle"; adContainerInner.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); adWrapper.appendChild(adUnit); adContainerInner.appendChild(adUnit); adContainer.appendChild(adContainerInner); adWrapper.appendChild(adContainer); } } </script> </li><li id="carbon_fields_widget_day_synonym-2" class="widget widget_day_word widget_day_synonym carbon_fields_widget_day_synonym"> <div class="widget_sotd" style="border-color: #FFB607"> <div class="widget__head"> <h3 class="widget__title"> <span>Synonym of the day</span> </h3> <div class="widget__date"> <time datetime="2025-03-27">Mar 27, 2025</time> </div> </div> <div class="widget__body"> <div class="widget__content"> <div class="widget__word"> <div class="word"> <a data-linkid="17vwmm" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/synonym-of-the-day/"> Choose the synonym<br>for <span style='color: #FFB607'>raise</span> </a> </div> </div> <div class="widget__arrows"> <svg width="22" height="18" viewBox="0 0 22 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path fill="#FFB607" d="M0.154089 4.82526L6.42398 0.0713279C6.66329 -0.108551 6.98636 0.0713279 6.98636 0.39254V2.66672C6.98636 2.8723 7.15387 3.05218 7.34532 3.05218H12.5623C12.8375 3.05218 13.0169 3.38624 12.8734 3.6432L10.923 7.04805C10.8632 7.16369 10.7435 7.22793 10.6119 7.22793H7.33336C7.12994 7.22793 6.97439 7.39496 6.97439 7.61338V9.90041C6.97439 10.2088 6.65133 10.4015 6.41202 10.2216L0.142124 5.46769C-0.0493235 5.30066 -0.0493235 4.97945 0.154089 4.82526ZM21.8474 12.5344L15.5775 7.78042C15.3382 7.60054 15.0152 7.78042 15.0152 8.10163V10.3758C15.0152 10.5942 14.8596 10.7613 14.6562 10.7613H11.3777C11.258 10.7613 11.1384 10.8255 11.0666 10.9411L9.12817 14.346C8.98459 14.603 9.1521 14.937 9.43927 14.937H14.6562C14.8596 14.937 15.0152 15.1169 15.0152 15.3225V17.6095C15.0152 17.9179 15.3382 18.1106 15.5775 17.9307L21.8474 13.1768C22.0509 13.0226 22.0509 12.6885 21.8474 12.5344Z" /> </svg> </div> <div class="widget__deflectors"> <div class="widget__deflector-wrap"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/synonym-of-the-day/" data-linkid="lpcqde" class="widget__deflector" style="border-color: #FFB607" > amplify </a> </div> <div class="widget__deflector-wrap"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/synonym-of-the-day/" data-linkid="lpcqde" class="widget__deflector" style="border-color: #FFB607" > diverge </a> </div> <div class="widget__deflector-wrap"> <a href="https://www.thesaurus.com/e/synonym-of-the-day/" data-linkid="lpcqde" class="widget__deflector" style="border-color: #FFB607" > reprove </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="ad ad-bottom" id="ad-wrapper-bottom"> </div> <script> var adWrappers = document.getElementsByClassName('ad-bottom'); var getAdWrapper = () => { if (adWrappers.length === 1) { return adWrappers[0]; } else { for (adWrapper of adWrappers) { var childNodes = adWrapper.children; if (childNodes.length === 0) { var grandParentNode = adWrapper.parentNode.parentNode; var isVisibleNode = !(grandParentNode.style.display === 'none') if (isVisibleNode) { return adWrapper; } } } } } var adWrapper = getAdWrapper() if (adWrapper) { var adUnit = document.createElement('div'); if (isSovrn) { adUnit.classList.add('thesaurus_sticky_728x90_noflex_1'); adUnit.setAttribute('data-text', 'Sovrn Advertisement'); adWrapper.appendChild(adUnit); var hasWindow = typeof window !== 'undefined'; var hasProperBuildSlots = hasWindow && typeof window.properBuildSlots !== 'undefined'; if (hasProperBuildSlots) { window.properBuildSlots(); }; } else { adUnit.id = 'crb-ad-slot-bottom' adUnit.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var adContainer = document.createElement('div'); adContainer.classList.add("ad__container"); if ("adhesion") { adContainer.classList.add("adhesion"); } adContainer.id = "crb-ad-container-bottom"; adContainer.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var adContainerInner = document.createElement('div'); adContainerInner.classList.add('ad__container-inner'); adContainerInner.id = "crb-ad-container-inner-bottom"; adContainerInner.setAttribute('data-text', 'GPT Advertisement'); var mainShell = document.createElement('div'); mainShell.classList.add('main'); mainShell.classList.add('shell'); var contentDiv = document.createElement('div'); contentDiv.classList.add('content'); contentDiv.appendChild(adUnit); mainShell.appendChild(contentDiv); adContainerInner.appendChild(mainShell); adContainer.appendChild(adContainerInner); adWrapper.appendChild(adContainer); } } </script> <div id="dotcom-exports-footer" style="display: contents"></div> </div> <script> var crb_video_settings = {"default_script_src":"\/\/players.brightcove.net\/5660549791001\/HyAYCaubQ_default\/index.min.js"}; </script> <script type="text/template" class="video-playlist-template"> <% if(!items || !Array.isArray(items)) { return; } %> <ul data-simplebar data-simplebar-auto-hide="false"> <% items.forEach(function(item, index) { %> <% var itemClass = "playlist-item"; if (index === 0) { itemClass += ' playing'; } if(!item.thumbnail) { return; } %> <li class="<%- itemClass %>"> <div class="item-container" data-video-id="<%- item.video_id %>"> <span class="video-thumbnail" style="background-image: url( <%= item.thumbnail %> );" > <img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAJCAYAAAA7KqwyAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH4gETByMhHxuwUgAAABl0RVh0Q29tbWVudABDcmVhdGVkIHdpdGggR0lNUFeBDhcAAAAPSURBVCjPY2AYBaOACgAAAkkAAQysdekAAAAASUVORK5CYII="> <span class="play-btn btn"></span> <span class="pause-btn btn"></span> </span> <%= item.title %> </div> </li> <% }); %> </ul> </script> <script type="text/template" class="video-description-template"> <% if(!items || !Array.isArray(items)) { return; } // item.title.replace('&', '%26') %> <div class="video-details show-less"> <% items.forEach(function(item) { %> <div class="description"> <%= item.short_description %> <div class="controls"> <a href="#" class="show-transcript show">Show Transcript</a> <% if (item.link && !hideSocials) { %> <div class="socials socials-video"> <div class="share trigger-share-links"> <ul> <li> <a href="https://facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=<%= encodeURIComponent(item.link) %>" class="ico-facebook" target="_blank" data-linkid="begyaa" ></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?text=<%= encodeURIComponent(item.title) %>&url=<%= encodeURIComponent(item.link) %>" class="ico-twitter" target="_blank" data-linkid="agbu2i" ></a> </li> <li> <a href="mailto:?subject=<%= encodeURIComponent(item.title) %>&body=<%= encodeURIComponent(item.link) %>" class="ico-email" target="_blank" data-linkid="m52euo" ></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <% } %> </div> <div class="transcript-wrapper"> <div class="transcript" data-simplebar data-simplebar-auto-hide="false"> <h5>Transcript</h5> <%= item.description %> </div> <div class="transcript__overlay"></div> <a href="#" class="hide-transcript">x</a> </div> </div> <% }); %> </div> </script> <script type="text/template" class="video-mobile-playlist-template"> <div class="mobile-playlist"> <div class="list list-initial"> <% var item = null; for (var index = 0; index < Math.min(items.length, 5); index++) { %> <% item = items[index]; var itemClass = "playlist-item"; if (index === 0) { itemClass += ' playing'; } if(!item.thumbnail) { continue; } %> <div class="<%- itemClass %>"> <div class="item-container" data-video-id="<%- item.video_id %>"> <span class="video-thumbnail" style="background-image: url( <%= item.thumbnail %> );" > <img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAJCAYAAAA7KqwyAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH4gETByMhHxuwUgAAABl0RVh0Q29tbWVudABDcmVhdGVkIHdpdGggR0lNUFeBDhcAAAAPSURBVCjPY2AYBaOACgAAAkkAAQysdekAAAAASUVORK5CYII="> <span class="play-btn btn"></span> <span class="pause-btn btn"></span> </span> <div class="playlist-item-title"> <%= item.title %> </div> </div> </div> <% } %> <% if (items.length > 5) { for (var index = 5; index < items.length; index++) { item = items[index]; var itemClass = "playlist-item hidden"; if(!item.thumbnail) { continue; } %> <div class="<%- itemClass %>"> <div class="item-container" data-video-id="<%- item.video_id %>"> <span class="video-thumbnail" style="background-image: url( <%= item.thumbnail %> );" > <img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAJCAYAAAA7KqwyAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH4gETByMhHxuwUgAAABl0RVh0Q29tbWVudABDcmVhdGVkIHdpdGggR0lNUFeBDhcAAAAPSURBVCjPY2AYBaOACgAAAkkAAQysdekAAAAASUVORK5CYII="> <span class="play-btn btn"></span> <span class="pause-btn btn"></span> </span> <div class="playlist-item-title"> <%= item.title %> </div> </div> </div> <% } %> <% } %> </div> <% var btnClass = "btn-expand"; if (items.length > 5) { btnClass += " active"; } %> <a class="<%- btnClass %>">Expand For More Videos</a> </div> </script> <script type="text/template" class="video-coming-up-template"> <% if(!video) { return; } %> <div class="coming-up__top"> Coming Up Next </div> <div class="coming-up__thumb" style="background-image: url(<%= video.thumbnail %>);"></div> <div class="coming-up__bottom"> <%= video.title %> </div> </script> <script> window.PARSELY = window.PARSELY || { onload: function() { if (typeof window.crb_parsely_onload === 'function') { window.crb_parsely_onload(); } } }; </script> <script> var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; </script> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-PVMWP3');</script>   <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-PVMWP3" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; dataLayer.push({ event: 'pageview', page_type: 'editorial' }); </script> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/assets/bundle.js?ver=1719510435' id='theme-bundle-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/polyfill/v3/polyfill.min.js?unknown=ignore&version=3.25.1&ver=5.7.6' id='theme-polyfill-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' id='theme-functions-js-extra'> /* <![CDATA[ */ var crb_tracking_arguments = {"tracking_enabled":"1","tracking_qr":"","tracking_ev":"p","tracking_pn":"blog-the-grammar","tracking_ct":"when-was-writing-invented","tracking_sn":"thes","slideshow_prefix":"slideshow_","send_track_event_with_xhr":"1"}; var crb_theme_settings = {"homeurl":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/","editorialSearchUrl":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/?s={{query}}&post_type[]=post&post_type[]=page&post_type[]=attachment&post_type[]=crb_press&post_type[]=crb_videos&post_type[]=crb_slideshow&post_type[]=crb_wotd&post_type[]=crb_sotd","dictionarySearchUrl":"https:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/{{query}}?s=t","thesaurusSearchUrl":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/browse\/{{query}}?s=t","ajaxurl":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/crb-ajax\/cached.php","cachebuster":1743128183,"click_token":false,"sign_up_welcome_url":null,"cognito_client_id":"6edav43thsgqq20hv3d6psoit","cognito_region":"us-east-1","cognito_user_pool_id":"us-east-1_QfW87R0II","auth_cookie_domain":"dictionary.com","auth_cookie_use_secure":"1","cognito_mock_user_login":"","trackingUrl":"https:\/\/track.thesaurus.com\/main.gif","crossword_solver_url":"https:\/\/www.thesaurus.com\/e\/crosswordsolver\/","gql_api_url":"https:\/\/thor-graphql.dictionary.com\/graphql","analytics_page_duration_internal_in_seconds":0}; var crb_mobile_app_layout_settings = {"enabled":""}; /* ]]> */ </script> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-main.js?ver=1719510455' id='theme-functions-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-article.js?ver=1719510455' id='theme-article-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-tracking-queue.js?ver=1719510455' id='theme-tracking-queue-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' id='theme-ads-js-extra'> /* <![CDATA[ */ var crb_theme_ads_settings = {"site":"dcom","page":"editorial","pageTargeting":{"tx1":"results","tx2":"serp_0_n","ptype":"editorial","ld":"0","spe":"n","kw":"","evince":"ad","page_type":""},"slotConfigs":{"desktop":[{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-top","sizes":[[970,250],[970,90],[728,90]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_leaderboard_728x90_flex_1","targeting":{"pos":["top"],"pos2":["1"]}},{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-middle","sizes":[[300,250],[300,600]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_right_rail_300x250_flex_1","targeting":{"pos":["top"],"pos2":["2"]}},{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-bottom","sizes":[[728,90]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_sticky_728x90_noflex_1","targeting":{"pos":["bot"],"pos2":["3"]}}],"tablet":[{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-top","sizes":[[970,250],[970,90],[728,90]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_leaderboard_728x90_flex_1","targeting":{"pos":["top"],"pos2":["1"]}},{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-middle","sizes":[[300,250],[300,600]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_right_rail_300x250_flex_1","targeting":{"pos":["top"],"pos2":["2"]}},{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-bottom","sizes":[[728,90]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_sticky_728x90_noflex_1","targeting":{"pos":["bot"],"pos2":["3"]}}],"mobile":[{"placement":"crb-ad-slot-top","sizes":[[320,50]],"code":"\/23219321\/thesaurus.com\/thesaurus_sticky_320x50_noflex_1","targeting":{"pos":["top"],"pos2":["1"]}}]},"oneTrustUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.cookielaw.org\/scripttemplates\/otSDKStub.js","oneTrustDataDomainScriptId":"4c06e796-da34-48c6-baad-9b88a72f9e09","isDisabledLocation":false,"pageDurationInSeconds":30,"nonLazyAds":[],"adRefreshPeriodInSeconds":90,"adRefreshMaximumRefreshes":50,"useBlockThrough":true}; /* ]]> */ </script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-ads.js?ver=1719510455' id='theme-ads-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' defer src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-menu-init.js?ver=1719510455' id='theme-menu-init-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-content/themes/dictionary-com/js/build/bundle-theme-tracking-init.js?ver=1719510455' id='theme-tracking-init-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.thesaurus.com/e/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js?ver=5.7.6' id='wp-embed-js'></script> </body> </html>