iconic
adj.-
1 famous and representative (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatevery famous and seen as a classic example of a person, place, or thing.
widely recognized and established as a distinctive symbol or quintessential example of a particular style, era, or concept.
ExampleThe Eiffel Tower is an iconic landmark that everyone recognizes as a symbol of Paris.
ExampleThe designer's iconic little black dress revolutionized women's fashion in the 1920s, establishing a minimalist aesthetic that remains influential a century later.
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2 resembling the object (adj.) C2 Proficiency Academic Technical Sciencedescribes a sign or image that looks like the thing it represents.
pertaining to a sign that represents its object mainly by its similarity to it; used in semiotics to contrast with symbolic or indexical signs.
ExampleA picture of a fire on a sign is an iconic symbol because it looks like real flames.
ExampleOnomatopoeic words like 'buzz' or 'hiss' are considered iconic because their phonetic form mimics the natural sounds they describe.
UsageIn linguistics and semiotics, this term describes a direct relationship of resemblance between the form and the meaning.
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3 relating to religious icons (adj.) C1 Advanced Formal Religionrelating to religious paintings or statues, especially in the Orthodox Church.
relating to or characteristic of sacred images, typically those painted on wood and used in religious devotion.
ExampleThe museum has a beautiful collection of iconic art from ancient churches.
ExampleThe cathedral is famous for its iconic tradition, featuring gold-leafed portraits of saints that have been venerated for centuries.
From Late Latin īconicus, from Ancient Greek εἰκονικός (eikonikós). By surface analysis, icon + -ic.