iconic

comparative more iconic · superlative most iconic · alternative rare iconique

1. Relating to, or having the characteristics of, an icon.

   Antonyms: aniconic

2. Distinctive, characteristic, indicative of identity.

   an iconic move in martial arts

   1 more example

   And although we’ve certainly seen a variety of blue shades — from periwinkle to cobalt and even Dean Cain’s indigo-washed costume from the 1990’s TV show “Lois & Clark” — Superman’s uniform is still instantly recognizable across generations. In fact, there is only one film — Zack Snyder’s 2013 “Man of Steel” — in which Superman does not wear his iconic red belted trunks.

   2025 February 21, Leah Dolan, “How the Superman ‘S’ became fashion’s favorite logo”, in CNN

   Synonyms: signature

3. figurativelyFamously and distinctively representative of its type.

   She angrily turned, giving me my favorite view, that iconic view of a woman from the rear.

   1986, John Updike, Roger's Version, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 306

   3 more examples

   For younger musicians, Coltrane’s death became one of those iconic events that stays vividly in the mind.

   1983, J. K. Chambers, Milestones, New York: Beech Tree Books, →ISBN, page 111

   In time The Simpsons would, indeed, resort to spoofing such decidedly non-spooktacular fare like E.T and Mr. And Mrs. Smith (both in “Treehouse Of Horror XVIII”) but in 1992 the field was wide-open and the show could cherry-pick the most iconic and beloved fright fare of all time.

   2012 April 29, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)”, in AV Club, archived from the original on 15 Aug 2012

   "We did look at building a new bridge, but this is an iconic structure," says Network Rail Project Manager Michael Bryan.

   2020 August 12, Andrew Mourant, “The tide is turning for a Victorian wonder”, in Rail, page 50

   Synonyms: emblematic, famous

4. human sciencesRepresenting something; symbolic.

   an iconic gesture in sign language

   1 more example

   A portrait of a person is to a considerable extent iconic, but is not completely so since the painted canvas does not have the texture of the skin, or the capacities for speech and motion, […]

   1955 [1946], Charles William Morris, Signs, Language, and Behavior, G. Braziller, →ISBN, page 23

   Antonyms: batonic