Definition of icon
1 : a usually pictorial representation : image
2 [Late Greek eikōn, from Greek] : a conventional religious image typically painted on a small wooden panel and used in the devotions of Eastern Christians
3 : an object of uncritical devotion : idol
4 : emblem, symbol the house became an icon of 1960's residential architecture — Paul Goldberger
5a : a sign (such as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaningb : a graphic symbol on a computer display screen that represents an object (such as a file) or function (such as the command to delete)
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Examples of icon in a Sentence
Click on the icon to open your e-mail program.
He has become an icon in the movie business.
a singer who has become a pop icon
The Statue of Liberty has become an American cultural icon.
Recent Examples of icon from the Web
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Cutting a majestic figure on the Stockholm city skyline, the af Chapman is a city icon, named for the famed Swedish shipbuilder, Fredrik Henrik af Chapman.
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His provocative dancing and hit records turned him into one of the 20th century’s most recognizable icons.
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Hollywood celebrities, celebrated musicians and music fans alike said goodbye to Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell on Friday as the grunge rock icon was laid to rest in Los Angeles.
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The museum space is filled with interactive exhibits that vividly tell the stories of American icons like James Baldwin, Mark Twain, Octavia Butler, Henry Miller, and Emily Dickinson.
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Her first pick was Florence Nightingale; other featured icons included Sojourner Truth, Nellie Bly, Marie Curie, Joan of Arc, and Sacagawea.
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A hand icon by each piece of artwork indicates that guests are allowed to touch the piece.
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TAR can superimpose a 2D map of a soldier's operational area over the eyepiece's field of view, complete with icons representing other soldiers in his or her unit.
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The 31-year-old R&B icon opens up about family, fame—and her need to make the whole world dance.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'icon'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of icon
Latin, from Greek eikōn, from eikenai to resemble
icon-
icono-
Definition of icon-
: image iconolatry
Origin and Etymology of icon-
Greek eikon-, eikono-, from eikon-, eikōn
ICON Defined for English Language Learners
icon
playDefinition of icon for English Language Learners
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computers : a small picture on a computer screen that represents a program or function
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: a person who is very successful and admired
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: a widely known symbol
ICON Defined for Kids
icon
Definition of icon for Students
1 : a widely known symbol The Statue of Liberty has become an icon of freedom.
2 : a person who is very successful or admired a pop icon
3 : a religious image usually painted on a small wooden panel
4 : a small picture or symbol on a computer screen that represents a function that the computer can perform
Learn More about icon
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See words that rhyme with icon Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for icon Spanish Central: Translation of icon Nglish: Translation of icon for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of icon for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about icon
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