iconic
Americanadjective
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widely considered to epitomize an era, culture, community, place, etc.; representative.
The iconic figure of punk rock reunited with her bandmates for a final performance.
We boarded one of London’s iconic double-decker buses.
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celebrated, revered, or idolized.
The cheesesteak has iconic status in Philly.
She's worn some of the most iconic gowns ever to grace the red carpet.
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Eastern Church. of or relating to a representation of some sacred personage or event, such as Christ or a saint or the Resurrection, painted usually on a wood surface and venerated for its subject.
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Art. (of statues, portraits, etc.) executed according to a convention or tradition.
Usage
What does iconic mean? If something or someone is considered iconic, they're very influential, recognizable, and revered, e.g., Rembrandt is an iconic painter.
Other Word Forms
- iconically adverb
- iconicity noun
Etymology
Origin of iconic
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin īconicus, from Greek eikonikós, from eikon- (stem of eikṓn ) icon + -ikos -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although Mr. Edwards’s iconic “Lynch Fragments” series embodied a specific memorializing of the black experience in America, he saw the meaning of his sculpture as universal.
However, perhaps the most iconic element in the space is the infamous “rotating closet” that Hannah was regularly seen using in the series.
From MarketWatch
Since the 2000s, there have been multiple attempts to create an Asian version of the iconic contest, but none of those previous efforts bore fruit.
From BBC
The iconic red brick building which houses Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum contains thousands of artefacts - from a full sized elephant beneath a spitfire to Salvador Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross.
From BBC
Today’s game is far too transitory and transactional, its highlights less iconic.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
