Thingify

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To turn an abstract idea or a person into a mere object, treating it as though it were a physical thing
2. Making a concept concrete by regarding it as an object rather than as an abstraction
3. Reducing a person or idea to the status of an object and regarding it as a mere thing

Etymology: "Thingify" is a plain formation: the noun "thing" with the suffix "-ify," which comes via Old French from the Latin "-ficare," meaning "to make or to cause to be." Adding it to a noun produces a verb meaning to turn something into a thing, or to treat a person or idea as an object. The most useful way to understand the word is through its suffix, which has been used for centuries to turn nouns and adjectives into verbs such as "simplify," "purify" and "beautify." "Thingify" follows that pattern but is a much more recent and informal coinage, so its meaning comes straight from its parts. Its usefulness lies in the sense of reducing something, especially a person, to a mere object.

Synonyms: reify, objectify

Antonyms: abstract