zoomorphic

American  

[zoh-uh-mawr-fik] / ˌzoʊ əˈmɔr fɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a deity or other being conceived of as having the form of an animal.

2. characterized by a highly stylized or conventionalized representation of animal forms.

3. representing or using animal forms.

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Other Word Forms

• zoomorph noun

Etymology

Origin of zoomorphic

First recorded in 1870–75; zoo- + -morphic

Explanation

Anything that's zoomorphic has the form of an animal. If your cookie jar is shaped like a bear, with a removable head as its lid, you can describe it as zoomorphic. Zoomorphic is derived from Greek roots, zoion, "an animal," and morphē, "form." Things that take the form of animals can include art, everyday objects, people, and even gods in some religions. Think of the zoomorphic Hindu god Ganesh, with his elephant's head and human body. Or your grandparents' zoomorphic front door knocker, shaped like a lobster. And you might decide on a zoomorphic costume for Halloween — a cat or a rabbit — instead of dressing like a superhero.

Example Sentences

According to Megan Catherine Rose, an Australian researcher who studies the aesthetics and sociology of creepy-cute zoomorphic cyberpets, the toy’s strange design is part of what made the original Furby so memorable.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2023

“The oldest surviving example of zoomorphic architecture on Earth,” boasted her human handler and lifelong cheerleader, Richard Helfant.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2020

I’m staring at a creature that shouldn’t exist, a zoomorphic mashup of anatomical incongruities.

From Time • Jun. 1, 2016

Just before the curtain was raised inside, we asked readers what they saw when they looked up at the exterior of the zoomorphic pavilion.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2016

For that zoomorphic element in myth an explanation, as before, will be sought in the early mental condition which takes no great distinction between man and the beasts.

From Myth, Ritual And Religion, Vol. 2 (of 2) by Lang, Andrew