Word of the Day

: May 12, 2008

iconoclast

noun eye-KAH-nuh-klast

What It Means

1 : a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration

2 : a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions

iconoclast in Context

Susan's irreverent opinion of Shakespeare made her an iconoclast in the eyes of many of her fellow English majors.

Did You Know?

"Iconoclast" is a word that often shows up on vocabulary lists and College Board tests. How will you remember the meaning of this vocabulary-boosting term? If you already know the word "icon," you're halfway there. An "icon" is a picture that represents something, and is often a religious image. "Icon" comes from the Greek "eikōn," which is from "eikenai," meaning "to resemble." "Iconoclast" comes to us by way of Medieval Latin from Middle Greek "eikonoklastēs," which joins "eikōn" with a form of the word "klan," meaning "to break." "Iconoclast" literally means "image destroyer."