Dictionary

icon

noun \ˈī-ˌkän\

computers : a small picture on a computer screen that represents a program or function

: a person who is very successful and admired

: a widely known symbol

Full 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>
5
a :  a sign (as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning
b :  a graphic symbol on a computer display screen that represents an object (as a file) or function (as the command to delete)

Variants of ICON

icon also ikon \ˈī-ˌkän\
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Origin of ICON

Latin, from Greek eikōn, from eikenai to resemble
First Known Use: 1572

Related to ICON

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

Rhymes with ICON

aeon, add-on, agon, agone, Akan, Ambon, Amman, anon, Anshan, archon, argon, Argonne, atman, axon, bank on, barchan, baton, big on, Bion, blouson, bon ton, bonbon, boron, boson, bouillon, bring on, build on, bygone, caisson, call on, canton, capon, cast on, catch on, Ceylon, chaconne, Charon, chew on, chiffon, chiton, chrismon, Cimon, cistron, clip-on, codon, come-on, cordon, coupon, crampon, crayon, crepon, cretonne, crouton, Dacron, dead-on, Dear John, doggone, Dogon, Don Juan, exon, fall on, flacon, foregone, form on, Freon, fronton, futon, Garonne, get on, Gibran, gluon, gnomon, go on, guidon, hadron, Hainan, hand on, hands-on, hang on, have on, hazan, head-on, Henan, hereon, high on, hit on, hogan, hold on, Huainan, intron, ion, jargon, Jinan, jomon, kanban, kaon, Kashan, keen on, Khoisan, Kirman, koan, krypton, kurgan, Kurgan, lauan, lepton, let on, lock on, log on, look on, Luzon, macron, Masan, Medan, Memnon, meson, micron, Milan, mod con, moron, mouton, Multan, muon, natron, nekton, neon, nephron, neuron, neutron, ninon, Nippon, nylon, odds-on, Oman, Oran, Orlon, paeon, parton, Pathan, pavane, pecan, peon, Phaëthon, photon, phyton, pick on, pion, piton, plankton, pluton, pompon, prion, proton, Pusan, push on, put-on, pylon, python, racon, radon, rag on, rayon, recon, rhyton, run-on, run on, Saint John, Saipan, salon, San Juan, Schliemann, Schumann, Shaban, shaman, shaitan, Shingon, sign on, sit on, slip-on, snap-on, solon, Solon, soupçon, soutane, stand on, stolon, stuck on, Suwon, sweet on, Taiwan, taipan, take on, tampon, taxon, Teflon, Tehran, teston, thereon, Tian Shan, tisane, torchon, toucan, toyon, trade on, trigon, Tristan, triton, trogon, try on, Tucson, turned-on, turn on, Typhon, tzigane, uhlan, Ulsan, upon, wait on, walk-on, witan, whereon, Wonsan, wonton, work on, Wuhan, xenon, Xi'an, Yukon, Yunnan, zircon
ICON Defined for Kids

icon

noun \ˈī-ˌkän\

Definition of ICON for Kids

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

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