zoomorphism

9.9

A way of showing people, gods, or things with animal shapes and features

noun
/zuːˈmɔːrfɪzəm/

Literature

: zoomorfismo

Many ancient cultures employed zoomorphism in their art, depicting gods with animal features.

Examples

They are undecidable in their lifelikeness; there is possibly a whiff of blasphemy in the zoomorphism of Gehry's cathedral.

Academic text (1999)
Still, zoomorphism is a minor rill in the modern architectural stream.

Academic text (1999)
The computer that is enabling him to replace geometric abstraction with zoomorphism has simply made Gehry.

Academic text (1999)
The sculptor's use of zoomorphism transformed ordinary objects into creatures with lifelike qualities.
In literature, the author skillfully integrates zoomorphism by describing characters with animalistic traits.

Synonyms

animalization

vszoomorphism

9.2

Showing a person or thing as an animal

also applies when animal traits are given without full animal form

How Animal-Like

naturalism

Literature

2 8.1

realism

12 6.1

zoomorphism

Literature

9.9

stylization

1 6.8

abstraction

6 8.0

Surface Forms

zoomorphism singular

zoomorphisms plural

Morphology

zoomorphism = morphism (semi-transparent) = zoo + morph + ism

The parts 'zoo-' (animal) and '-morphism' (form/structure) combine in an obvious way, but '-morphism' is a technical/less familiar element for many learners.

Etymology

Zoomorphism comes from Greek parts zoo- meaning 'animal' and -morph meaning 'form' or 'shape', the same zoo- you see in 'zoo' and 'zoology'. So, zoomorphism means giving animal forms or traits to gods, people, or things, which is why a statue with a human body and an animal head is called zoomorphic.