the belief in not using or worshipping images of deities
aniconism in American English
(ænˈaikəˌnɪzəm)
noun
1.
opposition to the use of idols or images
2.
the worship of objects symbolic of but not depicting a deity
Word origin
[1905–10; an-1 + icon + -ism]This word is first recorded in the period 1905–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: jazz, persona, push-up, thiamine, white listan- is a prefix occurring before stems beginning with a vowel or h in loanwords from Greek, where it means “not,” “without,” “lacking” (anarchy; anecdote); used in the formation of compound words. Other words that use the affix an- include: anacoustic, anacrogynous, anomalous, anonymous, anopheles; -ism is a suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it was used to form action nounsfrom verbs (baptism). On this model, -ism is used as a productive suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice,state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion oradherence, etc. (criticism; barbarism; Darwinism; despotism; plagiarism; realism; witticism; intellectualism)