Langimage
English

icon-loving

|i-con-lov-ing|

C1

🇺🇸

/ˈaɪ.kɑnˌlʌvɪŋ/

🇬🇧

/ˈaɪ.kɒnˌlʌvɪŋ/

having affection for icons

Etymology
Etymology Information

'icon-loving' originates from English, specifically the compound of the words 'icon' and 'loving', where 'icon' comes from Greek 'eikōn' via Latin/Old French meaning 'image' and 'loving' derives from Old English 'lufian' meaning 'to love'.

Historical Evolution

'icon' came from Greek 'eikōn' (εἰκών) into Late Latin/Old French as forms like 'icon'/'icone' and entered Middle English as 'icon' (or 'yekon' variants); 'loving' developed from Old English 'lufian' and the present participle/agentive adjective patterns produced compounds like 'X-loving' in Modern English, yielding the modern compound 'icon-loving'.

Meaning Changes

Initially the elements meant 'image' (for 'icon') and 'having affection' (for 'loving'); combined in Modern English they form a compound meaning 'having affection for images/icons', with extended senses covering both religious and graphical icons.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adjective 1

having a fondness for or strong appreciation of icons (painted or sculpted religious images).

The museum's curator described the new exhibit as particularly icon-loving, emphasizing devotees' admiration for the medieval panels.

Synonyms

iconophileiconophilicdevotional-minded

Antonyms

Adjective 2

having a strong liking for graphical icons (e.g., app icons, UI symbols) or an aesthetic preference for iconography in design.

She's very icon-loving when choosing apps, often picking ones with stylish icons that match her home screen theme.

Synonyms

design-icon-orientediconophile (informal)graphical-preferring

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/11/20 09:16