Anthropomorphists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who attribute human characteristics or behaviors to animals or inanimate objects
2. Those who advocate for or believe in giving human traits to non-human entities
3. People who personify animals or objects, thereby treating them as if they have human emotions and intentions

Etymology: Two Greek roots make up the word: "anthrōpos," meaning human being, and "morphē," meaning shape or form. Together they describe giving something a human shape or nature. The Greek philosopher Xenophanes is often cited as an early critic of the habit. He observed that if oxen and horses could draw, they would depict their gods as oxen and horses, which mocks the tendency to project our own likeness onto the divine. The English term is built from the same Greek parts, with "-ism" naming the practice and "-ist" naming a person who engages in it. The plural simply refers to people who make this attribution. It is a technical formation from classical roots rather than a word that passed down from ancient speakers, and it is used mainly in theology, philosophy, and the study of animal behavior.