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What ancient artifact provided the key that allowed scholars to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs?

decipher

[dih-sahy-fer] / dɪˈsaɪ fər /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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You don’t need to decide what to watch or decipher subtext and creative interpretation.

From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2026

Those cases were of a single charge, were easier to decipher and involved significantly less evidence.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

No, multiple academics have attempted to decipher the meaning behind the mightily adorable meow of the domestic house cat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

"This research used a molecular technique, known as eDNA metabarcoding to decipher what animals are eating. It's a non-invasive way of studying diet and all you need are fresh scats from the environment."

From Science Daily ● May 20, 2026

When someone says, “Everything happens for a reason,” they’re trying to convince you there’s a pattern to your life, and that if you pay close attention, it’s possible to decipher it.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Ms. Allen traces pen names, decodes handwriting and deciphers marginalia in Richmond’s correspondence and books.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The new study deciphers the whole reaction network for the first time, determines the dominant molecular pathway and unveils the critical role of electrocatalysis in modifying the reaction's kinetics.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 6, 2024

The brain deciphers the signals and takes action in milliseconds - a process completed every second or so for 12 or more hours a day.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 14, 2023

Both fall into the field of “generative AI,” or AI that ingests vast quantities of data and can then output nominally original media based on patterns it deciphers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2023

His soul is in the fullest sympathy with the grand ideas which nature symbolizes, and he "deciphers the universe as the autobiography of the Infinite Spirit."

From Christianity and Greek Philosophy or, the relation between spontaneous and reflective thought in Greece and the positive teaching of Christ and His Apostles by B. F. (Benjamin Franklin) Cocker

Only a small number of the charred scrolls from Herculaneum's Villa of the Papyri have so far been virtually opened and deciphered.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

If comprehensively deciphered, the relationships between the species populating the genealogical tree of life, Mr. Telford argues, offer the possibility of understanding the evolutionary history of every component of natural biology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025

The S-shaped copper sculpture has baffled cryptography enthusiasts since its 1990 installation on the grounds of the CIA headquarters in Virginia, with three of its four messages deciphered so far.

From Barron's ● Nov. 19, 2025

I often thought it was because he didn’t exactly want them deciphered, or that he wanted to maintain a level of constant ambiguity.

From Slate ● Nov. 17, 2025

Baba was reciting a long poem he had deciphered from ancient stone inscriptions.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

But there is no standardized public key for deciphering them; codes vary among plants and products, and the absence of an obvious “TF” is no guarantee Taylor Farms wasn’t involved.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Mr. Ely provides a few sentences of transcribed testimony before analyzing the case’s factual details and deciphering any unusual language from the period.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

"We are deciphering the 'identity card' of tumors, by identifying, one by one, the key variables that determine the evolution of the disease," explains Pittet.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 10, 2026

The English section of South Korea's gruelling college entrance exam, or Suneung, is notoriously difficult, with some students comparing it to deciphering an ancient script, and others calling it "insane".

From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025

It’s not my job to read individual messages, but I’ve got a good idea of what we’re deciphering.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin




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