English Reference
noun

icon

n.
US /ˈaɪkɑn/ UK /ˈaɪkɒn/ icon UK spelling icons

  1. 01 A2 Elementary Computing

    a small picture on a computer or phone screen that you click to open a program.

    a small graphic representation on a graphical user interface that serves as a link to a file, program, or function.

    Simple

    Click on the printer icon at the top of the screen to start.

    In context

    The designer updated the application's icons to ensure they remained legible even on high-resolution mobile displays.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person or thing that is very famous and represents a certain style or idea.

    a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration within a specific field or culture.

    Simple

    She became a fashion icon after her first movie was released.

    In context

    The late architect remains a global icon, having redefined urban living through his innovative use of sustainable materials.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal Religion

    a religious painting of a holy person, usually done on wood.

    a representation of a sacred personage or event, typically painted on a wooden panel and used in the devotional traditions of Orthodox Christianity.

    Simple

    The old church was filled with gold-covered icons of saints.

    In context

    Art historians spent months restoring the fourteenth-century icon, carefully removing layers of soot to reveal the original pigment.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency AcademicTechnical Science

    a sign or word that looks or sounds like the thing it describes.

    a sign whose form directly reflects the properties of its referent, such as an onomatopoeic word or a literal diagram.

    Simple

    In linguistics, a map is an icon because it looks like the land it shows.

    In context

    Peirce distinguished the icon from the index and the symbol based on the specific nature of the relationship between the signifier and the signified.

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JSTOR Daily· 14 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated