idolatry

noun

idol·​a·​try ī-ˈdä-lə-trē How to pronounce idolatry (audio)
plural idolatries
1
: the worship of a physical object as a god
2
: immoderate attachment or devotion to something

Examples of idolatry in a Sentence

fans of the team are well known for their idolatry of the quarterback
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But as a Christian, the bigger threat in the U.S. now seems to be Evangelical idolatry—this tendency of many Christians to turn a political candidate into an idol, particularly one who has proven himself so thoroughly unfit as Donald Trump. Donovan McAbee, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024 People begin drifting to certain games or consoles, staring intently at a wall of idolatry. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2024 And while idolatry is not a new concept, the unique ways in which our culture demands that celebrities be close to us—closer than ever before—is in desperate need of examination. Taylor Crumpton, TIME, 13 Sep. 2024 The other is to impeach and remove the six, but that’s politically impractical, given the Trump idolatry in Congress. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for idolatry 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ydolatrie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin idolatria, alteration of Late Latin idololatria, from Greek eidōlolatreia, from eidōlon idol + -latreia -latry

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of idolatry was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near idolatry

Cite this Entry

“Idolatry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idolatry. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

idolatry

noun
idol·​a·​try ī-ˈdäl-ə-trē How to pronounce idolatry (audio)
plural idolatries
1
: the worship of an idol as a god
2
: very great attachment or devotion to something

More from Merriam-Webster on idolatry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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