symbolatry

/ˌsɪmbəˈlætri/
noun
  1. The worship of symbols or the excessive reverence given to symbols, often in a religious or ideological context.
    • In some ancient religions, symbolatry involved treating sacred objects as divine.
    • The debate about symbolatry arose when the community began to treat the flag as more important than the values it represents.
    • The philosopher warned against symbolatry, saying people should focus on the ideas behind the symbols.
Antonyms
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