idolatry

• idololatry (rare)

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”).

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

• Audio (US):

  (file)

idolatry (countable and uncountable, plural idolatries)

1. The worship of idols.

   Synonym: avodah zarah

   • 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.

   Synonyms: adoration, reverence, worship

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

• Wikipedia article on idolatry

• adroitly, dilatory