eidos
9.9
A group's typical way of thinking and acting
- noun
- /ˈaɪdɒs/
- Specialized
:
eidos
- Every culture has its own unique eidos that shapes its traditions and beliefs.
Examples
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The eidos of classical Greek society valued reason and debate.
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Anthropologists analyzed the eidos of the tribe to understand their worldview.
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The eidos of this community reflects its unique beliefs.
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Anthropologists study the eidos of various cultures.
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Anthropologists analyzed the eidos of the tribe to understand their worldview.
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Every culture has its own unique eidos that shapes its traditions and beliefs.
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The eidos of classical Greek society valued reason and debate.
How Characteristic
Surface Forms
Etymology
Eidos comes from the ancient Greek word eidos, meaning 'form' or 'shape'. So, in anthropology it names a culture's 'form' or way of thinking—the group's mental 'shape'—which is why it means the distinctive intellectual 'essence' of a society.