idolatry

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) The worship of idols.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) The excessive admiration of somebody or something.

Synonyms

devotion

worship

cultism

adoration

veneration

idol worship

misbelief

superstition

whoredom

worshipping

iconolatry

admiration

idol-worship

adulation

deference

gusto

infatuation

irrationality

Translations

idolâtrie

Idolatrie

idolatria

idolatría

afgodendienst

Vergötterung

idolatria

ειδωλολατρία

afgoderij

idolatria

Götzendienst

Abgötterei

Bilderanbetung

Bewunderung

vénération

Pronounced as (IPA)

/aɪˈdɒl.ə.tɹiː/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ydolatrie

Cognate with Italian: idolatria

Cognate with Occitan: ydolatria

Cognate with Portuguese: idolatria

Cognate with Spanish: idolatría

In summary

Inherited from Middle English ydolatrie, from Old French idolatrie, from Ecclesiastical Latin īdōlatrīa, from Late Latin īdōlolatrīa, from Ancient Greek εἰδωλολατρίᾱ (eidōlolatríā, “worship of idols”), back-formation from εἰδωλολάτρης (eidōlolátrēs), from εἴδωλον (eídōlon, “idol”) & λάτρις (látris, “worshipper”) or λατρεύω (latreúō, “I worship”), from λάτρον (látron, “payment”). Equivalent to idol + -latry. Cognate with Modern French idolâtrie, Italian idolatria, Occitan ydolatria, Portuguese idolatria, and Spanish idolatría. Displaced native Old English dēofolġield (literally “devil worship”).