zoomorphic

[ zoh-uh-mawr-fik ]

Part of Speech adjective

Origin + Etymology

late 19th century; Greek "representative of animals," especially representative of a god in the form of an animal, 1872, from zoo- "animal" + morphē "shape," a word of uncertain etymology, + -ic

Synonyms

animalistic
untamed
beast-like
wild

bestial
zoologic
subhuman
inhuman

Antonyms

humanly
person
mundane

human being
mortal
earthling
personage

Definition

1. characterized by a highly stylized or conventionalized representation of animal forms

2. of or relating to a deity or other being conceived of as having the form of an animal

Examples

1. A) Her zoomorphic makeup transformed her into a stylized lion for Halloween. B) Their zoomorphic costumes were perfect for the zoo scene in the school play.

2. A) Zoomorphic imagery is prevalent in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting their gods. B) Across pantheistic religions, zoomorphic representations of the deities are a common trend.

Usage Over Time

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Usage Over Time

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