the.com/idolatry

means The worship of an image, object, or person as if it were a god itself, or more broadly, an excessive devotion that puts something in the place reserved for ultimate reverence.

from From Greek 'eidololatria,' a compound of 'eidolon' (image, phantom, idea — from 'eidos,' shape or form) and 'latreia' (worship, service). The word traveled through Latin 'idololatria' into Old French before landing in English. Notably, it's a word crafted largely by Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians to name and condemn a practice — it's less a neutral description than a theological accusation baked right into the etymology: worship ('latreia') misdirected at a mere image ('eidolon') rather than the real thing behind it.