reification

[ ree-uh-fuh-key-shuhn, rey- ]

noun

1. the act of treating something abstract, such as an idea, relation, system, quality, etc., as if it were a concrete object:

   Defining “home” as if it were just a roof over one’s head, instead of the center of a web of relationships, leads in turn to the reification of homelessness.

2. the act of treating a person as a thing; objectification:

   The conference dealt with the issue of prostitution and the reification and trafficking of women.

Word History and Origins

Origin of reification¹

First recorded in 1845–50; equivalent Latin rē(s) “thing” + -i- ( def ) + -fication ( def ), perhaps formed by analogy with deification ( def )

Example Sentences

This happened simultaneously with the reification of many other forms of human praxis: religion, the judiciary, the military.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apotheosis
• archetype
• avatar
• epitome
• exemplar
• expression
• personification
• realization
• symbol