theriomorphic

American  

[theer-ee-uh-mawr-fik] / ˌθɪər i əˈmɔr fɪk /

Or theriomorphous

adjective

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

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theriomorphic British  

/ ˌθɪərɪəʊˈmɔːfɪk /

adjective

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

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Other Word Forms

• theriomorph noun

Etymology

Origin of theriomorphic

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

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.*

From Project Gutenberg

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.

From Project Gutenberg

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.

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg