iconology

UK: /ˌaɪkɒˈnɒlədʒɪ/ US: (ī′kə nol′ə jē)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

i•co•nol•o•gy  (ī′kə nol′ə jē), n. 

1. the historical analysis and interpretive study of symbols or images and their contextual significance; iconography.
2. the study of icons or symbolic representations.

• icono- + -logy 1720–30

i•con•o•log•i•cal  (ī kon′l oj′i kəl, ī′kə nl-), adj.  i′co•nol′o•gist, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

iconology / ˌaɪkəˈnɒlədʒɪ/ noun

1. the study or field of art history concerning icons
2. the symbolic representation or symbolism of icons

iconological / aɪˌkɒnəˈlɒdʒɪk^əl/ adjective

ˌicoˈnologist noun