iconography
2 synonyms for iconography, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The set of symbols, images or visual conventions that a particular subject, theme or artistic tradition uses.
How to use iconography
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
religious iconography
the iconography of
study of iconography
Christian iconography
visual iconography
It is a formal term used mainly in art history and criticism, not everyday speech.
Etymology
Iconography was built in English from the combining form icono-, referring to images, joined to the combining form -graphy, referring to writing or description. Together the two elements produced a word meaning the description or study of pictorial representation.
Full origin of iconography →Frequently asked questions
What does iconography mean?
It refers to the traditional symbols and images linked to a subject, or to the study of such pictorial representation.
Is iconography only about religious art?
No. The term applies to any set of symbolic forms tied to a subject or theme, though it is often used of religious and historical art.
Does iconography always mean the same set of symbols, or can it mean the study of them?
Both: the word can name the recurring symbols themselves, or the description and study of pictorial representation more generally.
