animism

American  

[an-uh-miz-uhm] / ˈæn əˌmɪz əm /

noun

1. the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the universe itself possess souls.

2. the belief that natural objects have souls that may exist apart from their material bodies.

3. the doctrine that the soul is the principle of life and health.

4. belief in spiritual beings or agencies.

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animism British  

/ ˈænɪˌmɪzəm, ˌænɪˈmɪstɪk /

noun

1. the belief that natural objects, phenomena, and the universe itself have desires and intentions

2. (in the philosophies of Plato and Pythagoras) the hypothesis that there is an immaterial force that animates the universe

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animism ¹ Cultural  

1. The belief that natural objects such as rivers and rocks possess a soul or spirit. Anima is the Latin word for “soul” or “spirit.” (See voodoo.)

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animism ² Cultural  

1. The belief, common among so-called primitive people, that objects and natural phenomena, such as rivers, rocks, and wind, are alive and have feelings and intentions. Animistic beliefs form the basis of many cults. (See also fetish and totemism.)

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Other Word Forms

• animist
  noun
• animist
  adjective
• animistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of animism

First recorded in 1825–35; anim(a) + -ism

Explanation

Animism is the doctrine that every natural thing in the universe has a soul. If you believe in animism, you believe that ostriches, cactuses, mountains, and thunder are all spiritual beings. Animism comes from the Latin word anima, meaning life, or soul. People often think of "primitive" beliefs when they think of animism, but you'll find the belief in the spiritual life of natural objects in all major religions. If you have ever felt that a star is more profound than a cluster of hot rock or gas a long way away, then you have a sense of what animism is.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

animism

Eight of out 10 of Sumba's population of 685,000 people are Christian, but its older "marapu" belief system, that blends animism and ancestor worship, has deep roots.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Japan’s Indigenous religion of Shinto is largely rooted in animism, which believes there are thousands of “kami,” or spirits, inhabiting nature.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 4, 2023

History doesn’t have the alpha-and-omega directionality of Christianity but is grounded in what sounds like a place-based animism.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 20, 2022

Where the artists meet, aside from oddity of style, is in a kind of animism.

From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 2021

Such a hypothesis accords as well with the animism found in ethnographic societies the world over.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson