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

And the band’s iconic red-and-white all-over aesthetic was striking to anyone with a discerning eye. —Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026

Pitt nabbed the iconic part, which Clooney wasn't thrilled about, but what followed was a formidable friendship that has continued on- and off-screen. —Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026

It will be represented by Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) signature outfit built around her iconic pink dress from Season 1. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 May 2026

And for bottoms, the iconic Patagonia Barely Baggies Shorts are a clear winner at $52, while the REI Co-op Trailmade Barrel Pants are a shockingly flattering style that’s currently $20 off. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 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