English Meaning & Definitions
An image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.
- “The ancient temple contained a massive golden idol at its center.”
- “Worshippers bowed before the stone idol.”
A person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.
- “As a teenager, he had posters of his rock star idol plastered all over his bedroom wall.”
- “She was a pop idol who inspired millions of fans worldwide.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “idol”.
Derived from Middle English, through Old French from ecclesiastical Latin 'idōlum', from Greek 'eidōlon' (diminutive of eidos 'form, figure'), meaning 'image' or 'phantom'. Originally referring exclusively to an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship, the meaning expanded by the 17th century to denote any person or thing greatly loved or revered.
Think of an 'idol' as someone you 'I do' adore a lot.
Frequently Asked Questions About “idol”
1. What is the meaning of “idol” in English?
In English, idol (noun) is defined as: “An image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.”.
2. How do you use “idol” in a sentence?
“The ancient temple contained a massive golden idol at its center.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “idol”?
Derived from Middle English, through Old French from ecclesiastical Latin 'idōlum', from Greek 'eidōlon' (diminutive of eidos 'form, figure'), meaning 'image' or 'phantom'. Originally referring exclusively to an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship, the meaning expanded by the 17th century to denote any person or thing greatly loved or revered.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.