iconic

adjective

icon·​ic ī-ˈkä-nik 

1

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon

2

a

: widely recognized and well-established

an iconic brand name

b

: widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence

an iconic writer

a region's iconic wines

iconically

ī-ˈkä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

The original meaning of iconic was essentially "resembling an icon," but today it often describes what is so admired that it could be the subject of an icon. And with that use, iconic has become part of the language of advertising and publicity: companies and magazines and TV hosts encourage us to think of some consumer item or pop star or show as first-rate or immortal or flawless—absolutely "iconic"—when that person or thing is actually simply widely known and—they assert—distinctively excellent.

Examples of iconic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The festival and conference has also announced the first slate of artists set to play the iconic event’s 40th anniversary that will take place March 12-18 throughout the city. —Taylor Mims, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025

This luxury operator focuses on voyages through Europe and Southeast Asia’s most iconic waterways, including the historic Mekong River in Cambodia and Vietnam and Portugal’s Douro River. —Deanna Taylor, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025

As for Saint Laurent, its iconic Le Loafer was a standout among shoppers searching for loafers. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025

French lipstick tricks are the fast track to conjuring the fresh-faced, bold lip makeup look that’s become so iconic. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin īconicus "of a likeness or image," borrowed from Greek eikonikós "(of a statue) in the likeness (of someone)" (Late Greek, "pertaining to or employing images, representative, symbolic"), from eikon-, eikṓn "image, likeness" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at icon

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for iconic

• atonic
• benthonic
• bionic
• bosonic
• bubonic
• canonic
• carbonic
• cyclonic
• demonic
• dystonic
• hadronic
• harmonic