Meanings
plural iconoclasms
- countableuncountableThe belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives.First known use 1797
1 more example
Finally, “iconoclasm” is a form of desecration and shares its general intention to deny the sacred qualities of an image and to demonstrate that it has no power, to prevent it from being treated as an idol or a rival to God.¹⁴ But not all forms of desecration constitute iconoclasm, though iconoclasm is always a form of desecration.
2024, Katherine Aron-Beller, Christian Images and Their Jewish Desecrators: The History of an Allegation, 400–1700, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, →ISBN, page 8Synonyms: iconomachy, idoloclasm · Antonyms: iconodulism, iconoduly, iconoplasm
- countablefigurativelyuncountableA challenge to a widely held belief, tradition or cherished institution.First known use 1858
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives.
Origin
Translations
Catalan iconoclàstia
- iconoclàstiabelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Chinese Mandarin 破壞偶像主義 /破坏偶像主义
- 破壞偶像主義 /破坏偶像主义 (pòhuàiǒuxiàngzhǔyì)belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Czech ikonoklasmus, obrazoborectví
- ikonoklasmusbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- obrazoborectvíbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Danish billedstorm, ikonoklasme
- billedstormbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- ikonoklasmebelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Dutch iconoclasme, beeldenstorm
- iconoclasmebelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- beeldenstormbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Esperanto ikonoklasmo
- ikonoklasmobelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Finnish ikonoklasmi
- ikonoklasmibelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
French iconoclasme
- iconoclasmebelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
German Ikonoklasmus, Bildersturm
- Ikonoklasmusbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- Bildersturmbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- Bilderstürmereibelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Hungarian képrombolás, polgárpukkasztás
- képrombolásbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- polgárpukkasztásby extension: attacking cherished beliefs
Indonesian ikonoklasme
- ikonoklasmebelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Italian iconoclastia
- iconoclastiabelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Japanese 偶像破壊
- 偶像破壊 (guuzou-hakai)belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Polish ikonoklazm, obrazoburstwo
- ikonoklazmbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- obrazoburstwobelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Portuguese iconoclastia
- iconoclastiabelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Russian иконоборчество, иконоклазм
- иконоборчество (ikonoborčestvo)belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- иконоклазм (ikonoklazm)belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Spanish iconoclasia, iconoclastia
- iconoclasiabelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- iconoclastiabelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Swedish bildstorm, ikonoklasm
- bildstormbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- ikonoklasmbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Ukrainian іконобо́рство, іконокла́зм
- іконобо́рство (ikonobórstvo)belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- іконокла́зм (ikonoklázm)belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Welsh delwddrylliad, eiconoclastiaeth
- delwddrylliadbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
- eiconoclastiaethbelief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons
Cite this entry
iconoclasm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/iconoclasm
“iconoclasm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/iconoclasm. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “iconoclasm,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/iconoclasm.
Source: iconoclasm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.