variants
or less commonly ikon
plural icons also ikons
1
: a person or thing widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere
a civil rights icon
an actor and fashion icon
… Purple Rain, the flick that established Prince as a pop icon and cineaste.—
Robert Christgau and Carola Dibbell
Robert Christgau and Carola DibbellThat cultural icon, the Nintendo Game Boy, was released in 1989 …—Eleanor Flegg
Eleanor Flegg2
: emblem, symbol
Rosie the Riveter, a WWII [World War II] cultural icon with her blue jumpsuit and red bandana, represented the women who went to work at manufacturing hubs across the nation …—David DeBolt
David DeBoltA single photograph, the photograph of Earth taken from space by William Anders, on Apollo 8, in 1968, served as an icon for the entire environmental movement.—Jill Lepore
Jill LeporeThe nation's first President was transformed into an icon, a national symbol whose somewhat forbidding portrait would adorn the dollar bill.—John J. O'Connor
John J. O'Connor3
a
: a graphic symbol on a computer display screen that represents an app, an object (such as a file), or a function (such as the command to save)
b
: a sign (such as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning
c
archaic
: a usually pictorial representation : image
4
in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
: a representation (as in a mural, a mosaic, or a painting on wood) of sacred events or especially of a sacred individual (such as Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, or a saint) used as an object of veneration or a tool for instruction
Examples of icon in a Sentence
Noun
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 on the Web
Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
She will be remembered as an exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2025
The late Hank Aaron, a long-time Atlanta icon who topped the lifetime list in home runs for 33 years, was an All-Star a record 21 years in a row, missing only his first and last years of his 23-year career.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The 79-year-old country music icon is still mourning the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, who died on March 3 at the age of 82.
—Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for icon
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Noun
During their initial conversations, McLeod first asked about his favorite brands, which also include Acne and Kith, as well as his style icons — the NBA’s Devin Booker, the NFL’s Ray-Ray McCloud and her client P.J. Tucker among them.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
She will be remembered as an exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2025
The late Hank Aaron, a long-time Atlanta icon who topped the lifetime list in home runs for 33 years, was an All-Star a record 21 years in a row, missing only his first and last years of his 23-year career.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The 79-year-old country music icon is still mourning the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, who died on March 3 at the age of 82.
—Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for icon
Cite this Entry
“Icon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icon. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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