1. The study of ancient and historical handwriting, manuscripts, and inscriptions, including their dating, authenticity, and interpretation.
Usage: Also spelled paleography (U.S. variant).; Academic and scholarly field.

Examples

• The historian used palaeography to authenticate the medieval manuscript.
• Palaeography helps scholars understand how writing systems evolved over centuries.
• She earned her degree in palaeography and now works at the British Library.
• Through palaeography, experts determined the document was a 15th-century forgery.
• The course in palaeography teaches students to read and analyze ancient scripts.