Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed and brevity of writing as compared to longhand, a more common method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos (narrow) and graphein (to write). 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.

The Lord's Prayer in Gregg and a variety of 19th-century systems shorthang

Dutch stenography using the "System Groote"

Tombstone of Heinrich Roller, inventor of a German shorthand system, with a sample of his shorthand