icon en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈaɪ.kɒn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈaɪ.kən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈaɪ.kɑn/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Latin īcōn, from Ancient Greek εἰκών (eikṓn, “likeness, image, portrait”). Eastern Orthodox Church sense is attested from 1833. Computing sense first recorded in 1982.
Meanings
- An image, symbol, picture, portrait, or other representation, usually as an object of religious devotion.
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(especially) A type of religious painting portraying a saint or scene from Scripture, often done on wooden panels.
Last week the Archdiocese sent emmissaries to investigate the icon and decided that the tears were not a hoax, Father Koufos said.
1986 December 22, “‘Weeping Virgin’ Icon Draws Throngs To Chicago”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2023:
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(broadly) A person or thing that is the best example of a certain profession or some doing.
That man is an icon in the business; he personifies loyalty and good business sense.
Barbie is viewed as an icon of American culture in her new biography, Barbie: Her Life and Times (Crown, $25), written by Billy Boy, a clothing and jewelry designer in Paris.
1987 December 23, “Barbie: Doll, Icon Or Sexist Symbol?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 07 Apr 2023:Only a handful of rock musicians have become genuine icons - larger-than-life symbolic figures whose personal triumphs and vicissitudes seem to mirror the ups and downs of rock as a whole, and sometimes of the society that nurtures it. Often, rock icons become the objects of personality cults that tend to overshadow their musical accomplishments.
1981 May 31, Robert Palmer, “Two Icons of Rock Music”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 18 Apr 2023:
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A small picture that represents something.
The program's most quintessentially Macintoshian feature, one as yet unique among spreadsheets, is its icon bar, which resides at the top of the screen just below the standard menu bar. It contains 21 icons, each of which allows the user to perform a specified function with but a few clicks of the mouse.
1985 September 15, Erik Snadberg-Diment, “Number Crunching on the Macintosh”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2023:Click the loudspeaker icon to configure audio settings.
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(Internet, informal) A small picture that represents something. ▸ An image used to represent a user; an avatar or profile picture.
Is it okay if I use your drawing as my icon?
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A word, character, or sign whose form reflects and is determined by the referent; onomatopoeic words are necessarily all icons.
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Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ikon | alternative | lexicographic | |
| icons | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| eikon | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
iconless · autoicon · gay icon · earcon · iconifier · iconisation · icon-stand · iconification · hamburger icon · obscenicon · bicon · iconize · kebab icon · musicon · graphicon · identicon · emoticon · dykon · iconify · WIMP · subicon · iconlike · iconization · iconology · iconise · favicon
Relateds
replica · iconomaticism · iconodule · iconomachian · iconomach · icono- · iconomatic · iconolater · iconoclasm · iconophile · iconometrical · iconomania · iconistically · iconometer · iconologist · iconological · simulacrum · iconophilism · iconodulist · iconic · iconical · uniconic · aniconism · iconophobia · iconics · iconicness · iconoclast · iconoduly · iconomatically · iconantidyptic · iconophilist · iconometrically · iconographer · noniconic · iconodulic · iconoscope · iconolatry · iconistical · iconostas · iconotropy · iconotropic · iconomachy · iconoplast · iconographically · iconodulism · iconographist · iconology · iconomachical · iconoclastic · aniconic · iconometric · iconograph · iconicity · miniature · iconophilia · iconophobic · iconographical · iconistic · iconophily · iconomachal · iconometry · iconostasis · iconographic · iconomatography · iconophobe · iconically · iconism · iconomachist · iconography
Synonyms
exemplar · archetype · archetype · ur-type · embodiment · epitome · exemplification · paragon · graven image · sample · case in point · symbol · paradigm · representative · model · pattern · prototype · example · specimen · beau ideal · paradigm · example · epitome · template · icon · Exhibit A · exemplar · byspel · illustration · quintessence · idol · incarnation · exemplificator · instance · eponym · case · quintessence
Translations (244)
et ikoon (religious painting) · pt ícone (religious painting) · ko 우상 (exemplar) · it icona (exemplar) · esu ikuunaq (religious painting) · sv ikon (exemplar) · ca icona (image) · ga íocón (image) · vi biểu tượng (image) · ja アイコン (small picture, computer icon) · el εικόνισμα (religious painting) · sv bild (image) · ar قُونَة (image) · alt икона (exemplar) · ru карти́нка (small picture, computer icon) · pl ikona (small picture, computer icon) · cmn 圖標 /图标 (small picture, computer icon) · ar أَيْقُونَة (religious painting) · la icon (religious painting) · id arca (religious painting) · la icuncula (image) · izh pyhäin (religious painting) · hy պատկեր (image) · am አዶ (small picture, computer icon) · kk икон (religious painting) · lo ເທວະຮູບ (religious painting) · sh ìkona (religious painting) · kk таңбаша (small picture, computer icon) · es icono (image) · sh ikonica (small picture, computer icon) · tk ikona (religious painting) · pt ícone (small picture, computer icon) · pl ikona (religious painting) · mi ata iti (image) · el πρότυπο (exemplar) · nl icoon (religious painting) · be кумі́р (exemplar) · tr sembol (small picture, computer icon) · ar أَيْقُونَة (image) · bg и́дол (exemplar) · ko 아이콘 (small picture, computer icon) · eu ikono (religious painting) · vi ảnh thánh (religious painting) · ro iconiță (small picture, computer icon) · cs ikona (religious painting) · nl icoon (image) · ar قُونَة (religious painting) · sl ikona (image) · krl oprasa (religious painting) · eo piktogramo (image) · sh ѝкона (exemplar) · uk о́браз (image) · tr simge (small picture, computer icon) · gl icona (religious painting) · uk і́дол (exemplar) · es icono (small picture, computer icon) · uz ikona (religious painting) · sk symbol (small picture, computer icon) · sv ikon (religious painting) · be іко́на (exemplar) · gd ìomhaigh (image) · myv лик (religious painting) · esu ikuunaq (image) · es ícono (small picture, computer icon) · ru значо́к (small picture, computer icon) · es icono (religious painting) · id ikon (small picture, computer icon) · sv förebild (exemplar) · nb ikon (image) · cy eicon (small picture, computer icon) · ga íocón (small picture, computer icon) · be абра́з (religious painting) · hy պատկերակ (small picture, computer icon) · th สัญรูป (small picture, computer icon) · ru ико́нка (small picture, computer icon) · cy eicon (religious painting) · ja イコン (religious painting) · ru ико́на (exemplar) · be іко́на (religious painting) · fa-ira شِمائِل (religious painting) · mi ata (small picture, computer icon) · de Bild (image) · sh ѝкона (image) · ko 성상 (religious painting) · yue 聖像 /圣像 (religious painting) · crh köşedeturan (religious painting) · es icono (exemplar) · de Ikone (religious painting) · be во́браз (image) · nn ikon (image) · ar أَيْقُونَة (exemplar) · ja 聖像 (religious painting) · ko 이콘 (religious painting) · nn ikon (religious painting) · fa نماک (small picture, computer icon) · fa شمایل (image) · hu ikon (religious painting) · nn ikon (small picture, computer icon) · mi ata (image) · ru пиктогра́мма (small picture, computer icon) · mi hautupia (exemplar) · nl icoon (exemplar) · alt кудай сӱри (religious painting) · sh ѝкона (small picture, computer icon) · ast iconu (religious painting) · de Icon (small picture, computer icon) · hy սրբապատկեր (religious painting) · uk піктогра́ма (small picture, computer icon) · es ícono (religious painting) · ja 偶像 (exemplar) · ru о́браз (religious painting) · uk значо́к (small picture, computer icon) · cs ikona (small picture, computer icon) · uk куми́р (exemplar) · tg шамоил (religious painting) · uk іко́на (religious painting) · alt пиктограмма (small picture, computer icon) · de Symbol (exemplar) · gl icona (small picture, computer icon) · fi ikoni (exemplar) · kw ikon (image) · gag yukona (religious painting) · fr icône (small picture, computer icon) · lv ikona (religious painting) · th ไอคอน (small picture, computer icon) · uk зобра́ження (image) · sv ikon (image) · tg икона (religious painting) · bg ико́на (religious painting) · sl ikona (religious painting) · alt кӧргӱскени (image) · fi ikoni (image) · be абра́з (image) · pl symbol (exemplar) · it icona (religious painting) · uk іко́нка (small picture, computer icon) · da ikon (image) · tr ikona (religious painting) · pt ícone (image) · sk ikona (religious painting) · cy eicon (image) · mi hautupua (exemplar) · el εικονίδιο (small picture, computer icon) · fr icône (exemplar) · pt ícone (exemplar) · lt ikona (religious painting) · sh ìkona (exemplar) · ka ხატი (religious painting) · ru ико́на (religious painting) · mt ikona (small picture, computer icon) · az ikona (religious painting) · fi kuvake (small picture, computer icon) · ko 성화 (religious painting) · sh ìkona (image) · mt ikona (image) · pt ídolo (religious painting) · ru о́браз (image) · ru изображе́ние (image) · gl icona (image) · it icona (image) · fi symboli (exemplar) · fi ikoni (religious painting) · vi biểu tượng (small picture, computer icon) · ug سىنبەلگە (small picture, computer icon) · ru и́дол (exemplar) · sk ikona (small picture, computer icon) · sv symbol (small picture, computer icon) · bg ико́на (small picture, computer icon) · hu ikon (image) · ug ئىكونا (religious painting) · kk икона (religious painting) · id ikon (religious painting) · yue 偶像 (exemplar) · eo ikono (religious painting) · nl pictogram (small picture, computer icon) · cmn 偶像 (exemplar) · ar أَيْقُونَة (small picture, computer icon) · es ícono (exemplar) · es ícono (image) · alt бӱдӱш (image) · ro icoană (religious painting) · nb ikon (religious painting) · tg тимсол (religious painting) · da ikon (small picture, computer icon) · uk карти́нка (small picture, computer icon) · km រូបតំណាង (religious painting) · el εικόνα (image) · ps نښه (religious painting) · tr ikon (religious painting) · pl ikona (exemplar) · os иконӕ (religious painting) · mk икона (religious painting) · lo ຮູບບູຊາ (religious painting) · vi điển hình (exemplar) · pl ikonka (small picture, computer icon) · fr icône (image) · bg изображе́ние (image) · ca icona (religious painting) · hu ikon (small picture, computer icon) · my အိုင်ကွန် (small picture, computer icon) · sk ikona (image) · la icon (image) · fi symboli (image) · bg куми́р (exemplar) · cmn 圖示 /图示 (small picture, computer icon) · sq ikonë (religious painting) · mr आयकन (small picture, computer icon) · yue 圖標 /图标 (small picture, computer icon) · fa-ira تِمْثال (religious painting) · nrf icône (image) · arz قونة (image) · ky икона (religious painting) · uk іко́на (exemplar) · nb ikon (small picture, computer icon) · cs ikona (image) · ga íocón (religious painting) · da ikon (religious painting) · ca icona (small picture, computer icon) · alt икона (religious painting) · sh иконица (small picture, computer icon) · el είδωλο (exemplar) · cy eicon (exemplar) · nl icoon (small picture, computer icon) · he אִיקוֹנִין (religious painting) · ba тәре (religious painting) · th รูปเคารพ (religious painting) · fr icône (religious painting) · sh ìkona (small picture, computer icon) · ug ئايكون (small picture, computer icon) · ru куми́р (exemplar) · fa-ira شِمایِل (religious painting) · el εικόνα (religious painting) · vi linh ảnh (religious painting) · hy պատկեր (religious painting) · pl ikona (image) · eo ikono (small picture, computer icon) · be і́дал (exemplar) · kmr îkon (religious painting) · cmn 聖像 /圣像 (religious painting) · sh ѝкона (religious painting) · eo piktogramo (small picture, computer icon) · it icona (small picture, computer icon) · sv ikon (small picture, computer icon) · nrf icône (small picture, computer icon)