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Glite Dictionary
xoanon

xoanon

1 9.9
A wooden statue of a god that people in ancient Greece worship
  • noun
  • /ˈzoʊəˌnɒn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : xoanon
  • In ancient Greece, many people built temples to house their revered xoanon, which were wooden statues of their gods.

Examples

  • The villagers gathered to offer prayers and gifts at the xoanon, a sacred statue representing their deity.

  • During the festival, the ancient xoanon was adorned with flowers and presented at the altar for worship.

  • " Xoanon."

    Fiction book (2001)

  • " The skystone is called a xoanon, and xoanon is what the Massilians call the images of Artemis they carve from wood.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • " The skystone is called a xoanon, and xoanon is what the Massilians call the images of Artemis they carve from wood.

    Fiction book (2001)

Synonyms

eikon
vsxoanon
  • Archaic
9.9

A painted image of a holy person used in worship

is a specific ancient wooden statue rather than a general image

Surface Forms

xoanon singular
xoanons plural

Etymology

Xoanon comes from the ancient Greek root xylon meaning 'wood', the same root you see in xylophone. A xoanon was a 'wooden image' or statue of a god, which is why the word means an ancient wooden statue used in worship.