anthropomorphism

Coined in the mid-1700s. From Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “man, human being”) and μορφή (morphḗ, “form, shape”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌænθɹəpəˈmɔɹfɪzəm/

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anthropomorphism (countable and uncountable, plural anthropomorphisms)

1. The attribution of human characteristics and behavior to something not human. [from mid-18th c.]
2. (theology) The attribution of human characteristics to divine beings.

Despite the similarity in meaning, this term carries very different connotations when used in different contexts. In literature, anthropomorphism describes merely a device of fiction writing, whereas in science (particularly biology) anthropomorphism has traditionally been used pejoratively when a scientist appears to be attributing to animals characteristics that are assumed to be exclusive to human beings.

• dehumanization

• humanization
• personification
• prosopopoeia

• anthropomorphic
• anthropomorphically

• zoomorphism
• kemonomimi
• nahualism

• anthropomorphism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia