animatism

[ an-uh-muh-tiz-uh m ]

/ ˈæn ə məˌtɪz əm /

noun

the attribution of consciousness to inanimate objects and natural phenomena.

Nearby words

animated cartoon,
animated oat,
animately,
animatic,
animation,
animato,
animator,
animatronic,
animatronics,
anime

Origin of animatism

First recorded in 1895–1900; animate + -ism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for animatism

What truth there was in that doctrine is fully covered by Animatism.
The Origin of Man and of his Superstitions|Carveth Read
Animatism, the animation theory of seemingly inanimate nature, is a further subdivision which also includes animatism and animism.
Totem and Taboo|Sigmund Freud

British Dictionary definitions for animatism

animatism

/ (ˈænɪməˌtɪzəm) /

noun

the belief that inanimate objects have consciousness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012