hieratic

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hieratic /ˌhʌɪəˈratɪk/

▶adjective

• 1 of or concerning priests.

• 2 of or in the ancient Egyptian writing of abridged hieroglyphics used by priests. Compare with demotic.

• 3 of or concerning Egyptian or Greek styles of art adhering to early methods as laid down by religious tradition.

– derivatives
hieratical adjective,
hieratically adverb.

– origin C17 (orig. as hieratical): via L. from Gk hieratikos, from hierasthai ‘be a priest’.