What does iconolatry mean?
Iconolatry is a formal word for the worship or veneration of icons, images, or objects regarded as sacred. Its original and most specific sense concerns religious images that are treated as worthy of divine honor. The term can also be extended metaphorically to describe excessive devotion to a person, organization, celebrity, or ideal, especially when that devotion becomes irrational or unquestioning. It is often used in historical, religious, artistic, and cultural criticism because it emphasizes the relationship between images and reverence rather than simply describing belief in a deity. In ordinary discussion, “idolatry” is usually more natural for broad personal or cultural devotion, while “iconolatry” is especially useful when the image or representation itself is central. The word is consequently more precise and analytical than a general term for worship.
The worship or veneration of icons or images, especially images treated as sacred.
"The medieval dispute centered on whether the practice constituted heretical iconolatry."
Primarily used in religious and historical contexts.
Excessive or uncritical devotion to a person, institution, object, or ideal.
"The novel criticizes the iconolatry surrounding its charismatic leader."
This is a figurative extension, typically with a critical connotation.
The plural is used when referring to different forms or instances of image veneration.
"The study compares the iconolatries of several distinct religious traditions."
Iconolatry names the moment when an image stops being merely a representation and becomes the object of devotion itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does iconolatry come from?
Iconolatry comes from Greek eikōn, meaning “image” or “likeness,” combined with latreia, meaning “worship” or “service.” The compound entered English through scholarly and religious usage concerning the veneration of religious images. Its semantic opposite, iconoclasm, derives from the same Greek image root with the addition of a suffix meaning “destruction.”
How iconolatry is actually used
The word is scholarly and typically carries a critical or evaluative tone. In its broader sense, it can be used metaphorically for obsessive devotion, though it remains less common than the more general term "idolatry."
Easily confused with iconolatry
Iconolatry is the veneration or worship of images, whereas iconography is the study or description of images and symbols.
Iconolatry specifically concerns the veneration of images or icons, while idolatry more broadly denotes worship of a person, object, or idea considered divine.