iconography

[ ahy-kuh-nog-ruh-fee ]
/ ˌaɪ kəˈnɒg rə fi /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR iconography ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural i·co·nog·ra·phies.

symbolic representation, especially the conventional meanings attached to an image or images.
subject matter in the visual arts, especially with reference to the conventions regarding the treatment of a subject in artistic representation.
the study or analysis of subject matter and its meaning in the visual arts; iconology.
a representation or a group of representations of a person, place, or thing, as a portrait or a collection of portraits.

Origin of iconography

1620–30; < Medieval Latin īconographia < Greek eikonographía. See icono-, -graphy

OTHER WORDS FROM iconography

i·con·o·graph [ahy-kon-uh-graf, -grahf] /aɪˈkɒn əˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf/, noun i·co·nog·ra·pher, noun

Words nearby iconography

icono-, iconoclasm, iconoclast, iconoclastic, iconographic, iconography, iconolatry, iconology, iconomatic, iconophile, iconoscope

Words related to iconography

drawing, emblem, picture, icon, image, folklore, ikon, logo, badge, motif, representation, idol

Example sentences from the Web for iconography

British Dictionary definitions for iconography

iconography
/ (ˌaɪkɒˈnɒɡrəfɪ) /

noun plural -phies

  1. the symbols used in a work of art or art movement
  2. the conventional significance attached to such symbols
a collection of pictures of a particular subject, such as Christ
the representation of the subjects of icons or portraits, esp on coins

Derived forms of iconography

iconographer, noun iconographic (aɪˌkɒnəˈɡræfɪk) or iconographical, adjective