'iconoclastically' originates from Greek, specifically the Late Greek word 'eikonoklastēs', where 'eikon' meant 'image' and 'klastes' meant 'breaker'.

'iconoclastically' developed via the adjective 'iconoclastic' (from Late Greek 'eikonoklastēs' → Medieval Latin/French forms like 'iconoclaste') and the English adjective 'iconoclastic', with the adverbial suffix '-ally' forming the modern English adverb 'iconoclastically'.

Initially it literally meant 'breaking images' (i.e., destroying religious images); over time it evolved to mean 'attacking cherished beliefs or institutions,' which is the current sense reflected in 'iconoclastically'.