Definition

Noun: A historical writing system, considered the ancestor of most scripts used in South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia. It is believed to have been adapted from the Aramaic script around the 7th century BC.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The Brahmi script was used for inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka.
  • Scholars study Brahmi to understand the development of Indian languages.
  • The decipherment of Brahmi was a major breakthrough in Indian epigraphy.

Advanced Usage

• In academic contexts: The term is used to refer to the specific paleographic stages (e.g., Early Brahmi, Late Brahmi) or regional variants.
  • The Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions are a specialized regional form.

Variants and Related Words

• Brahmic (adjective): Pertaining to the Brahmi script or the family of scripts derived from it.
  • The Thai alphabet is part of the Brahmic script family.

Synonyms

• Ancient Indian script
• Ashokan script (when specifically referring to the form used in the Ashokan edicts)

Notes on Meaning

This word refers exclusively to the historical script. It is not used to refer to a language, a person, or a modern writing system. All modern Indian scripts (e.g., Devanagari, Bengali, Tamil) are descendants of Brahmi.

Noun

1. a script (probably adapted from the Aramaic about the 7th century BC) from which later Indian scripts developed