iconography
noun
Did you know?
If you saw a 17th-century painting of a man writing at a desk with a lion at his feet, would you know you were looking at St. Jerome, translator of the Bible, who, according to legend, once pulled a thorn from the paw of a lion, which thereafter became his devoted friend? And if a painting showed a young woman reclining on a bed with a shower of gold descending on her, would you recognize her as Danaë, locked up in a tower to keep her away from the lustful Zeus, who then managed to gain access to her by transforming himself into golden light (or golden coins)? An iconographic approach to art can make museum-going a lot of fun—and amateur iconographers know there are also plenty of symbols lurking in the images that advertisers bombard us with daily.
Examples of iconography in a Sentence
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2024
How can a leading man so steeped in American iconography have taken so long to make a Western?
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
The iconography alongside each area of the checkup display indicates the urgency of the user’s consideration of the recommendations.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
The cosmetic spoons in the Met’s collection are often high-end, and their iconography indicates they were used for ritual purposes.
—Brennan Kilbane, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for iconography 
Dictionary Entries Near iconography
Cite this Entry
“Iconography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconography. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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