Dictionary

iconolatry en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌaɪ.kəˈnɒ.lə.tɹi/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌaɪ.kəˈnɒ.lə.triː/ (UK)
• ī′-kə-nä′-lə-trē (US)

Etymology

From icono- + -latry.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The use of images as symbols that provide an inspiration and aid to worship.
   • Illegitimate iconolatry is an image consecrated to the worship of God but not prescribed by the Biblical ritual, e.g., the golden calf. The injunction against the use of illegitimate iconolatry seems clearly reflected in the biblical admonition, Take ye therefore good heed to yourselves -- for ye saw no manner of form on the day that the Lord spoke unto you in Hereb out of the midst of the fire -- lest ye deal corruptly, and make you a graven image, even the form of any figure. 2010, Martin Sicker, Pondering the Imponderable, page 112:
   • The opponents of iconolatry, the Sthanakavāsīs (i.e. those who worship only in community-houses and not in temples) maintain, on the other hand, that the cult of idols was not taught by the Tirthankaras. 1999, Helmuth von Glasenapp, Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation, page 430:
   • The argument for iconolatry is that images aid worship. 2016, James E. Smith, The Ten Commandments Reconsidered, page 65:
2. (countable, uncountable) The veneration of celebrities.
   • In the 1950s (his ascent was in 1953), 1960s, 1970s, and possibly beyond, he would surely have commanded supreme admiration, respect, and even iconolatry, especially in his native land. 2006, Ellis Cashmore, Celebrity Culture, page 243:
   • Complementing the value system of luminosity and iconolatry surrounding Hitler, such shadows suggest the imprint of a story-telling agent, of narratorial scaffolding. 2010, Aaron Jaffe, Jonathan E. Goldman, Modernist Star Maps: Celebrity, Modernity, Culture, page 161:
   • She always had some star or celebrity that she was emulating. She tended towards iconolatry.) 2022, Kate Atkinson, Shrines of Gaiety:
   • Even if it took more than twenty years for the crush of iconolatry, wealth and drug abuse to boomerang back at him, the classic trajectory of Elvis' life is clung to popularity as modern tragedy —as if he was meant to die sometime before getting fat, middle-aged and campy, and didn't, and we'll just pretend he did. 2019, Gerd Bayer, Heavy Metal at the Movies:
   • Further, she had launched the career she had wanted from the first, not that of the singer but the movie star—not a talant star, vocalizing her way through her parts, but a glamour star, setting music aside to provoke the iconolatry centered on charismatic figures who don't have to sing for supper. 2019, Ethan Mordden, On Streisand: An Opinionated Guide, page 42:

Forms

Deriveds

iconolatrous

Relateds

icon · iconolater · iconoclasm · iconoclast

Translations (11)

de Bilderverehrung (worship of images as symbols) · de Bilderanbetung (worship of images as symbols) · pt iconolatria (worship of images as symbols) · el εικονολατρία (worship of images as symbols) · gl iconolatría (worship of images as symbols) · de Bilderkult (worship of images as symbols) · ca iconolatria (worship of images as symbols) · de Ikonolatrie (worship of images as symbols) · fi kuvainpalvonta (worship of images as symbols) · es iconolatría (worship of images as symbols) · fr iconolâtrie (worship of images as symbols)