Breviograph

A breviograph or brevigraph (from Latin: brevis, short, and Greek grapho, to write) is a type of scribal abbreviation in the form of an easily written symbol, character, flourish or stroke, based on a modified letter form to take the place of a common letter combination, especially those occurring at the beginning or end of a word. Breviographs were used frequently by stenographers, law clerks and scriveners, and they were also found in early printed books and tracts.^[1] Their use declined after the 17th century.

Examples

Examples of breviographs:^[2][3][4]

• & — et (e.g. &c = etc)
• ⋅i⋅ — id est
• ꝑ — per-, pre-, or par- (e.g. ꝑson = person)
• ß — ser-, sur-, or sir- (e.g. ßuaunt = seruaunt = servant)
• X — Christ- (e.g. Xian = Christian)

See also

• Acronym and initialism
• Palaeography
• Tironian notes
• Classical abbreviations
• Medieval abbreviations
• Scribal abbreviations