idolum

Idolum is a Latin noun meaning image, likeness, statue, or idol. It derives from the Latinized form of the Greek eidolon and was used in Latin to refer to both concrete statues used in religious worship and figurative images that resemble another thing. In religious and philosophical contexts, idolum could denote a false object of worship or a misleading appearance—an idol in the broad sense as something that stands in for reality.

In classical and medieval Latin literature, idolum appears in discussions of idolatry and iconography, as well as in translations of Greek philosophical works that speak of eidola or phantasms. The term was common in Latin patristic and scholastic writing when addressing matters of belief, representation, and deception, where idols or images might distort judgment or devotion. In this sense, idolum can refer to any image that captivates perception or is venerated inappropriately, not merely a sculpted statue.

In modern usage, idolum is primarily of historical and philological interest. English-language scholarship tends to render the concept with idol, idolum, or sometimes eidolon, depending on context. Today, the term is rarely used in everyday language but remains relevant in the study of Latin lexicon, classical philosophy, and the history of iconography and idolatry.