anthropomorphize
Meaning
To attribute human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.
Structure
Usage
It is common for children to anthropomorphize their toys, giving them names and personalities.
Many ancient cultures would anthropomorphize natural forces, depicting the sun or the sea as gods with human forms.
Critics argue that the documentary tends to anthropomorphize the animal's behavior, interpreting it through a human emotional lens.
Etymology
The word 'anthropomorphize' is a modern English formation built from classical Greek components. The first element, 'anthropo-', derives from the Greek word for 'human', which itself has a deep Indo-European ancestry. The second element, '-morph', originates from the Greek term for 'form' or 'shape'. Combined, they create 'anthropomorph', a base meaning 'human form'. The addition of the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize', of Greek origin via Latin, transforms this noun into an action meaning 'to make into human form'. Thus, the term's literal construction, 'to make into human shape', elegantly captures the abstract modern concept of ascribing human traits to non-human entities.
Analysis
- anthropo: From Greek anthrōpos, meaning 'human being'. - morph: From Greek morphē, meaning 'form' or 'shape'. - ize: A verb-forming suffix from Greek -izein, via Latin -izāre, indicating 'to make' or 'to become'.