The word hieroglyph comes from the Greek adjective ἱερογλυφικός (hieroglyphikos),[1] a compound of ἱερός (hierós 'sacred')[2] and γλύφω (glýphō 'Ι carve, engrave'; see glyph),[3] in turn a calque of Egyptian mdw·w-nṯr (medu-netjer) 'god's words'.[4] The glyphs themselves were called τὰ ἱερογλυφικὰ γράμματα (tà hieroglyphikà grámmata) 'the sacred engraved letters'. The word hieroglyph has become a noun in English, standing for an individual hieroglyphic character. As used in the previous sentence, the word hieroglyphic is an adjective, but is often erroneously used as a noun in place of hieroglyph.