ENGLISH
REFERENCE

icons

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈaɪˌkɑnz// UK //ˈaɪkɒnz// icons

n. small pictures on a computer screen that you click to open programs. It also describes famous people or things that represent a certain style or idea.

n. graphic symbols on a digital interface representing executable programs or files; alternatively, persons or things regarded as representative symbols of a particular culture or movement.


SIMPLE

Click on the mail icon to check your messages.

CONTEXTUAL

The desktop was cluttered with icons for various applications and folders that he rarely used.

COMPLEX

While the software's icons are designed for intuitive navigation, the artist herself has become one of the most recognizable icons of the minimalist movement.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used in the plural when referring to user interface elements; frequently paired with 'of' when describing a person as a symbol.

© 2026 English Reference