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

Tributes and messages of condolence have poured in from customers, community members, and fans of the iconic restaurant, many of whom credited Pierce-Sherrod with preserving the spirit and legacy of Harold’s Chicken for future generations. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026

There's arguably no mode of transportation as iconic—and nostalgic—as train travel. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026

One of Philadelphia's most iconic families has ties to one of golf's greatest championships. —Nikki Dementri, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026

Indian Railways will sunset its iconic bandhgala uniforms amid a push to stamp out colonial-era symbols, sparking a debate over the centuries-old garment. —Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 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