theriomorphic

Or the·ri·o·mor·phous

[theer-ee-uh-mawr-fik]

adjective

1. (of deities) thought of or represented as having the form of beasts.

theriomorphic

/ ˌθɪərɪəʊˈmɔːfɪk /

adjective

1. (esp of a deity) possessing or depicted in the form of a beast

Other Word Forms

• theriomorph noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of theriomorphic¹

1880–85; < Greek thēriómorph ( os ) beast-shaped ( thērío ( n ) wild beast + -morphos -morphous ) + -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of theriomorphic¹

C19: from Greek thēriomorphos, from thērion wild animal + morphē shape

Example Sentences

Though all these mythical beings are in a sense departmental gods, they yield in renown to a later child of their race, Maui, the great culture-hero, who is an advanced form of the culture-heroes, mainly theriomorphic, of the lower races.*

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In the myths of the other races on the North-west Pacific Coast nothing is more remarkable than the theriomorphic character of the heroes, who are also to a certain extent gods and makers of things.

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If our theory of the evolution of gods is correct, we may expect to find in the myths of Indra traces of a theriomorphic character.

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It is not to be expected that many, if any, remains of a theriomorphic character should cling to a goddess so abstract as Aditi.

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A more savage and theriomorphic hypothesis it would be hard to discover among Bushmen or Nootkas.**

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