Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed and brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called
stenography, from the
Greek stenos (narrow) and
graphe or
graphie (writing). It has also been called
brachygraphy, from Greek
brachys (short) and
tachygraphy, from Greek
tachys (swift, speedy), depending on whether compression or speed of writing is the goal.