Definition of IDOLATRY

idolatry

Plural: idolatries

Noun

  • The worship of idols; excessive devotion or reverence for something.
  • religious zeal; the willingness to serve God
  • the worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God
  • The worship of idols.
  • The excessive admiration of somebody or something.

Examples

  • His blind idolatry of his lucky ’Q’ tile often led to poor strategic choices.

Origin / Etymology

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”).

Synonyms

cultism, devotion, idol worship, veneration, adoration, avodah zarah, reverence, worship

Scrabble Score: 12

idolatry: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
idolatry: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
idolatry: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

idolatry: valid Words With Friends Word