iconography
Americannoun
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symbolic representation, especially the conventional meanings attached to an image or images.
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subject matter in the visual arts, especially with reference to the conventions regarding the treatment of a subject in artistic representation.
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the study or analysis of subject matter and its meaning in the visual arts; iconology.
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a representation or a group of representations of a person, place, or thing, as a portrait or a collection of portraits.
noun
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the symbols used in a work of art or art movement
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the conventional significance attached to such symbols
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a collection of pictures of a particular subject, such as Christ
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the representation of the subjects of icons or portraits, esp on coins
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of iconography
1620–30; < Medieval Latin īconographia < Greek eikonographía. See icono-, -graphy
Explanation
The visual symbols used to represent something are known as iconography. When an artist paints a large white lily to represent death and a small dog to symbolize loyalty, she's using iconography. Whenever someone uses a familiar symbol or image to represent a particular person, group, characteristic, or theme, they're using iconography. In art, iconography sends specific messages, like when a lamb in a religious painting represents Jesus. In politics, iconography can convey things like strength and patriotism through flags, stars, and other symbols. The root of this word is the Greek eikon, which means "image or picture," but also "an image in the mind."
Vocabulary lists containing iconography
Art History
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myPerspectives 10.4
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graph
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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.
When we tell ourselves stories about warrior elites—and invoke their iconography to inspire and galvanize—we often dismiss and ignore their victims as inconvenient or annoying footnotes.
From Slate • Jul. 10, 2026
Though Madison Square Garden is a core piece of New York iconography, it is not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
You guys also have the timeless iconography of the Sublime sun logo.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
It was among the first bands to hire Bill Whitten to create costumes mixing the iconography of ancient Egypt with Afrofuturism.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
Popular guys with nice cars who had no viral iconography casting a shadow over them and would never bring up Chuck E. Cheese’s in her presence sat there rapt.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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.
