idolatry

• idololatry (rare)

From Middle English ydolatrie, from Old French idolatrie, from Late Latin īdōlatrīa, from Ecclesiastical 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”). Cognate with Modern French idolâtrie, Italian idolatria, Occitan ydolatria, Portuguese idolatria, and Spanish idolatría. Displaced native Old English dēofolġield (literally “devil worship”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /aɪˈdɒl.ə.tɹiː/
• (US) enPR: ī-dŏ'lə-trē, IPA^(key): /aɪˈdɑ.lə.tɹi/

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idolatry (countable and uncountable, plural idolatries)

1. The worship of idols.
   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     The parish stank of idolatry, abominable rites were practiced in secret, and in all the bounds there was no one had a more evil name for the black traffic than one Alison Sempill, who bode at the Skerburnfoot.

2. The excessive admiration of somebody or something.

• adoration
• reverence
• worship

• idol
• idolater
• idolatrise, idolatrize
• idolatrous
• idolatrously
• -latry

• Wikipedia article on idolatry

• adroitly, dilatory