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iconographic

iconographic

1 7.9
Acts as a widely known symbol of a person, idea, or time
  • adjective
  • /ˌaɪkəˈnɒɡrəfɪk/
translation icon : icónico
  • In her speech, she referred to several iconographic images that define our cultural heritage.
  • iconographic tradition
  • iconographic element
  • iconographic representation

I would have never expected that to be as iconographic and as popular as it is.

Examples

  • New Arab Cinema also employs iconographic patterns of costume, architecture, and landscapes to create a rendition of its political dialectic.

    Academic text (2005)
  • The statue of liberty is an iconographic symbol of freedom recognized worldwide.

  • The concealment of these standard iconographic details, as in his side, then becomes highly significant.

    Academic text (2002)
  • A second important iconographic element that links the two stories is their common nocturnal setting.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Many iconographic standards have become global in the world of nation-states and global entertainment industries.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In a composition of such striking economy, each component takes on heightened, perhaps even iconographic, significance.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The similarities between this figure and Giotto's strange female personification therefore command attention, and an iconographic link strongly suggests itself at once.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Both the border symbolism and the woman's allegorical status are reinforced in her iconographic coding.

    Academic text (1995)
  • His reworking of the plates layered new aesthetic, iconographic, and narrative content atop the familiar views, resulting in a complex visual palimpsest.

    Academic text (2014)
  • An engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi after a drawing by Raphael epitomizes the main elements of this iconographic theme (Fig. 16).

    Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

iconic
vsiconographic
133 4.4

Very well known and seen as a symbol of something

is symbolic and focuses on representing style or period
emblematic
vsiconographic
16 7.0

A symbol of an idea or quality, like a flag

is widely recognized and represents people, styles, or periods
emblematic of
vsiconographic
15 6.2

Something that clearly shows a quality or idea

is more general and applied across widely known people or styles
emblematical
vsiconographic
8.9

Acting as a symbol of an idea like peace or courage

is broader, used to represent famous individuals or eras
iconographical
vsiconographic
8.9

The meaning of pictures and symbols in art or media

focuses on being a widely recognized symbol rather than image analysis

How Iconic

iconographic
1 7.9
iconic
133 4.4
recognizable
  • US
65 2.3
obscure
20 6.6

Surface Forms

iconographic positive

Morphology

iconographic = iconography (opaque) = icon + graph + ic

Although the form still suggests image or symbol language, the meaning as a widely recognized emblem is a semantic extension that learners cannot reliably derive from the parts.

Etymology

Iconographic is built from icon ('image' or a famous symbol) and graph ('to draw'), so it can mean a picture or object that represents an idea. That's why something 'iconographic' is widely known and stands for a person, style, or time.