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
Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Two years into their reign, the couple have started their first state trip to Australia at the Red Centre, a sacred place in the country, fulfilling a rite of passage that is already a classic in the iconography of royal families.
—Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
The olive branch has anchored American iconography for 250 years—its absence from the very coin marking that anniversary is a curious choice, if not a telling one.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Channeling that, and pairing that energy with Calvin Klein’s iconography, felt both singular and classic.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for iconography
Cite this Entry
“Iconography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconography. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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