iconoclast

/aɪˈkɒn.əˌklæst/

Etymology

Borrowed from French iconoclaste and its etymon Medieval Latin īconoclastēs, from Byzantine Greek εἰκονοκλάστης (eikonoklástēs, literally “image breaker”). By surface analysis, icono- + -clast.

iconoclast means one who destroys religious images or icons, especially an opponent of the Orthodox Church in the 8th and 9th centuries, or a Puritan during the European Reformation. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 81 out of 100.

Why this word is great

ICONOCLAST — [Noun] A person who attacks cherished beliefs, traditions, or institutions, originally one who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration. From Medieval Latin īconoclastēs, from Byzantine Greek εἰκονοκλάστης (eikonoklástēs), from εἰκών (eikōn, "image, icon") + κλάστης (klástēs, "breaker"). Unlike a heretic, who deviates in doctrine, or a nonconformist, who merely steps aside, the iconoclast moves with a hammer, literal or rhetorical, aimed squarely at the pedestal. It is the hammer swung at the serene face of a mosaic saint, the manifesto pasted over the official portrait, and the satirical cartoon that punctures a political idol—a violence committed not against people, but against the ideas that hold them captive, performed in the sincere faith that a better truth will be found in the rubble.

noun

One who destroys religious images or icons, especially an opponent of the Orthodox Church in the 8th and 9th centuries, or a Puritan during the European Reformation.“In the days of the early Christian church, people who opposed the veneration (reverence) of images were called iconoclasts.”
One who opposes orthodoxy and religion; one who adheres to the doctrine of iconoclasm.“In February 1895 he [William Cowper Brann, 1855-1898 ] revived publication of the Iconoclast. This time it was successful and eventually attained a circulation of 100,000. Brann took obvious relish in directing his stinging attacks upon institutions and persons he considered to be hypocritical or overly sanctimonious.”
One who attacks cherished beliefs; a maverick.“After all, the fact that any discussion of the possibility is greeted with hysterical revulsion guarantees that only two types of people will take the "pro" side in public: fearless iconoclasts who do not care what anyone thinks of them; and racists.”