anthropomorphic
adjective
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As word lovers, we are endlessly fascinated by the uniqueness and complexity of human language. Many species use sounds and gestures to communicate with one another, but the ability to speak in full sentences, to share abstract ideas, and to write and tell stories is distinctly anthropic. Brilliant though dogs may be, they can’t verbalize their hopes and dreams. That is, unless those dogs are anthropomorphic—a trait common in works of fiction. From chatty chiweenies to tangoing tapirs, depictions of anthropomorphic animals abound thanks to our creative superpowers.
Examples of anthropomorphic in a Sentence
Chandra Steele, PCMAG, 10 Jan. 2025
One way to liven them up, however, is to venture way outside the box and make the central subject an anthropomorphic animal.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
Will a gritty, globe-trotting police officer and an anthropomorphic chimpanzee pop star be able to kickstart the 2025 box office?
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
This research suggests that visual storytelling including anthropomorphic figures and animals has a deeper origin in our species’ evolutionary history.
—Ryan McRae, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Anthropomorphic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropomorphic. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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