A description of any brief, rapid system of writing that may be used in transcribing, or recording the spoken words: The brachygraphically words include a typical shorthand system which provides symbols or abbreviations for words and common phrases, which can allow someone well-trained in the procedure to write as quickly as people speak.

Such systems, many having characters based on the letters of the alphabet, were used in ancient times; the shorthand of Tiro, Cicero's amanuensis, was used for centuries.

Modern systems date from 1588, when Timothy Bright published his 500-odd symbols for words; a French system was developed by Jacques Cossard in 1651, a German one in 1679. In 1602, Rev. John Willis published the Arte of Stenographie; there followed dozens of systems before 1837, when the shorthand of Isaac Pitman appeared.

The Pitman system, with improvements, is in wide use in English-speaking countries today; it is perhaps the most rapid shorthand system and is favored by many court and convention reporters.