idolatry

noun

idol·​a·​try ī-ˈdä-lə-trē 

plural idolatries

1

: the worship of a physical object as a god

2

: immoderate attachment or devotion to something

Synonyms

• adulation
• deification
• hero worship
• idolization
• worship
• worshipping
• worshiping

Examples of idolatry in a Sentence

fans of the team are well known for their idolatry of the quarterback

Recent Examples on the Web

But as a Christian, the bigger threat in the U.S. now seems to be Evangelical idolatry—this tendency of many Christians to turn a political candidate into an idol, particularly one who has proven himself so thoroughly unfit as Donald Trump. —Donovan McAbee, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024

People begin drifting to certain games or consoles, staring intently at a wall of idolatry. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2024

And while idolatry is not a new concept, the unique ways in which our culture demands that celebrities be close to us—closer than ever before—is in desperate need of examination. —Taylor Crumpton, TIME, 13 Sep. 2024

The other is to impeach and remove the six, but that’s politically impractical, given the Trump idolatry in Congress. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ydolatrie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin idolatria, alteration of Late Latin idololatria, from Greek eidōlolatreia, from eidōlon idol + -latreia -latry

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing idolatry

• self-idolatry

Kids Definition

idolatry

noun

idol·​a·​try ī-ˈdäl-ə-trē 

plural idolatries

1

: the worship of an idol as a god

2

: very great attachment or devotion to something