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

On this night, that spirit was on full display from families recreating iconic scenes to longtime enthusiasts gathering in celebration of a story that has spanned nearly five decades. —Daily News, 8 May 2026

The evening moved on to celebrate Planet Earth with a performance from Icelandic band Sigur Rós, the creators of the iconic soundtrack. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 May 2026

The Madison Avenue flagship showcases Falconeri’s iconic Ultrafine Cashmere — the brand’s signature yarn best known for its exceptional lightness, breathability and thermo-regulating properties, designed to be worn across all four seasons. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 8 May 2026

Even the iconic heart shape of the forest began to blur. —Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026

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