Egyptian Hieroglyph E024

It names a panther or leopard and can classify animal words.

A classifier is a usually silent sign added after a word to narrow its meaning; a logogram is a sign that writes a whole word. Here 𓃮 can classify the Egyptian big-cat word ꜣby or stand for that word itself. ꜣby is scholarly spelling, not a pronunciation guide. The sign is not a letter of an alphabet.

One recorded feminine spelling of the animal word, dated 1292–610 BCE, ends with this sign. In the New Kingdom, a major period of Egyptian history, it appears in an epithet comparing Amenhotep II to a fierce panther and in references to panther skins worn by Sem-priests, ritual priests. Gardiner’s sign list is a modern catalogue; E24 is its label, not a date for the sign’s origin.

Why do sources say panther, leopard, or cheetah?

The Egyptian animal word does not map neatly to one modern species.

The Egyptian word ꜣby is usually translated as panther or leopard, while some specialist references include cheetah. Phrases with regional qualifiers distinguish an Upper Egyptian leopard (southern Egypt) from a Lower Egyptian cheetah (northern Egypt). Without a longer phrase, “leopard” is a useful short gloss, not an exact species identification.

Why is 𓃮 a box?

A font without this sign cannot display it correctly.

Unicode defines this as text, but its visible drawing comes from your font. If the font lacks the hieroglyph, a box or substitute mark is a fallback; it does not mean the character changed. Choose a font that includes Egyptian hieroglyphs.