Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🧑‍🦲 Like a little man 🧠 Body in the brain
homuncular

homuncular

1 9.9
An idea that explains the mind by imagining a tiny person inside it
  • adjective
  • /həˈmʌŋkjələr/
: homuncular
  • In discussions about consciousness, some describe a homuncular agent that oversees our thoughts.

And I mentioned when we're talking about Leibniz's thought experiment, your concept of homuncular functionalism.

Examples

  • The artist created a homuncular figure to represent the inner struggles of the mind.

  • And I mentioned when we're talking about Leibniz's thought experiment, your concept of homuncular functionalism.

    Robinson Erhardt

  • It was Thibault's little retarded homuncular assistant.

    Just Visiting (2001)

  • The philosophy class explored the idea of a homuncular self as a metaphor for personal identity.

Synonyms

anthropoid
vshomuncular
1 7.9

Like a human in shape or appearance

refers specifically to a small human likeness or inner agent image
anthropomorphous
vshomuncular
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Having the shape and qualities of a human, like an animal or object

focuses on a tiny human image or inner agent rather than general traits

How Human-like

humanlike
2 4.2
homuncular
1 9.9
humanoid
35 6.1
animalistic
7 6.7
nonhuman
8 4.5

Surface Forms

homuncular positive

Morphology

homuncular = homunculus (transparent) = homunculus + ar

Formed by clear adjectival suffixation from 'homunculus' so the meaning 'relating to a little man' is directly derived.

Etymology

The word homuncular comes from the Latin homunculus, meaning 'little man'. A helpful image is a tiny person inside the mind making choices, which is why homuncular describes ideas that imagine a small inner agent.