MONOGRAM (Lat. monogramma, from Gk. ihowypcinuaros, monoyrammatos, consisting of a single letter, from Gk. p.ovos,monos, single + way, pa, gramma, letter, from ypeLoeLv, graphcin, to write). A character composed of two or more let ters of the alphabet, often interlaced with other and used as a cipher or abbreviation of a name. A perfect monogram is one in which all the letters of the word are to be traced. The use of monograms began at a very early date. They are found on Greek coins, medals, and seals, and are particularly numerous on the coins of Mace donia and Sicily. Both on coins and in MSS. it was the practice to present the names of States and cities by monograms, of which above 500 are known, but some have not been de ciphered. Monograms occur on the family coins of Home, but not on the coins of the earlier Roman emperors. Constantine placed on his coins of the earliest of Christian monograms which is to be traced in the recesses of the catacombs, composed of the first and second let ters of X.Purros (Christus), a monogram which also appeared on the Labarnm (q.v.), and was con tinued on the coins of the succeeding emperors of the East down to Alexander Comnenus and Theodorus Lascaris. We often find it combined with the first and last letters of the Greek al phabet (Rev. i. 8). Another well-known mono gram is that of the name of Jesus. WS. from the first three letters of IREat, though some times explained as standing for the three Latin words Jesus llominum Salrotor (Jesus, Saviour of Men).
Popes, emperors, and kings of France during the Middle Ages were in the practice of using a monogram instead of signing their names. Al most all the coins of the French kings of the 'Carlovingian race bear their respective mono grams, as also do those of Alfred and some of the other Saxon kings of England.
Painters and engravers in Germany and Italy have used monograms to a large extent as a means of distinguishing their works. In these, the initial letters of their names were often interwoven with figures of a symbolical char acter, so as to form a rebus on the artist's name. The first typographers distinguished their pub lications by wood-cut vignettes. whose inven tion is ascribed to the elder Aldus; but besides these, each made use of a monogram or cipher. a series of which, well known to the bibliographer, fixes the identity of the ancient editions, Ger man, Italian, and English, from the invention of printing down to the middle or end of the sixteenth century. For a detailed account of the monograms of early printers and others, consult: Dictionnaire des monogram Mes 1832-34) ; Horne, Introduction to Bibliog ropily, vol. ii. (London. 1814) ; Herbert and Ames. to I /4/ u ics 17 49 ; Lentsell. 1 rcrsal onogra or!: ( ;era. 1893 ) ; SeliitIcr. Monogramme ISK et