iconoclastic

i·con·o·clast  (-kn-klst)

n.

1. One who attacks and seeks to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions.

2. One who destroys sacred religious images.

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[French iconoclaste, from Medieval Greek eikonoklasts, smasher of religious images : eikono-, icono- + Greek -klasts, breaker (from Greek kln, klas-, to break).]

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i·cono·clastic adj.

i·cono·clasti·cal·ly adv.

Word History: An iconoclast can be unpleasant company, but at least the modern iconoclast only attacks such things as ideas and institutions. The original iconoclasts destroyed countless works of art. Eikonoklasts, the ancestor of our word, was first formed in Medieval Greek from the elements eikn, "image, likeness," and -klasts, "breaker," from kln, "to break." The images referred to by the word are religious images, which were the subject of controversy among Christians of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th and 9th centuries, when iconoclasm was at its height. In addition to destroying many sculptures and paintings, those opposed to images attempted to have them barred from display and veneration. During the Protestant Reformation images in churches were again felt to be idolatrous and were once more banned and destroyed. It is around this time that iconoclast, the descendant of the Greek word, is first recorded in English (1641), with reference to the Byzantine iconoclasts. In the 19th century iconoclast took on the secular sense that it has today, as in "Kant was the great iconoclast" (James Martineau).

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	iconoclastic - characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions unorthodox - breaking with convention or tradition; "an unorthodox lifestyle"
	2.	iconoclastic - destructive of images used in religious worship; said of religions, such as Islam, in which the representation of living things is prohibited destructive - causing destruction or much damage; "a policy that is destructive to the economy"; "destructive criticism"

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iconoclastic

adjective subversive, radical, rebellious, questioning, innovative, irreverent, impious, dissentient, denunciatory His iconoclastic tendencies can get him into trouble.

Translations

iconoclastic [aɪˌkɒnəˈklæstɪk] ADJ → iconoclasta

iconoclastic [aɪˌkɒnəˈklæstɪk] adj [person, ideas] → iconoclaste

iconoclastic

adj (fig) → bilderstürmerisch

iconoclastic [aɪˌkɒnəˈklæstɪk] (frm) adj (opinions) → iconoclastico/a, iconoclasta; (person) → iconoclasta