Iconic vs Figurative - What's the difference?
iconic | figurative |
Relating to, or having the characteristics of, an icon.
Famously and distinctively representative of its type.
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=April 29
, author=Nathan Rabin
, title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)
(linguistics) Representing something; symbolic.
Metaphorical or tropical, as opposed to literal; using figures; as of the use of "cats and dogs" in the phrase "It's raining cats and dogs".
* '>citation
Metaphorically so called
With many figures of speech
Emblematic; representative
* Hooker
* J. A. Symonds
As adjectives the difference between iconic and figurative
is that iconic is relating to, or having the characteristics of, an icon while figurative is metaphorical or tropical, as opposed to literal; using figures; as of the use of "cats and dogs" in the phrase "it's raining cats and dogs".iconic
English
Adjective
(en adjective)citation, page= , passage=In time The Simpsons would, indeed, resort to spoofing such decidedly non-spooktacular fare like E.T and Mr. And Mrs. Smith (both in “Treehouse Of Horror XVIII”) but in 1992 the field was wide-open and the show could cherry-pick the most iconic and beloved fright fare of all time.}}
- an iconic gesture in sign language
Antonyms
* (relating to an icon) aniconic * (linguistics) batonicfigurative
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- This, they will say, was figurative , and served, by God's appointment, but for a time, to shadow out the true glory of a more divine sanctity.
- They belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form.