anthropomorphic
adjective
Did you know?
As word lovers, we are endlessly fascinated by the uniqueness and complexity of human language. Many species use sounds and gestures to communicate with one another, but the ability to speak in full sentences, to share abstract ideas, and to write and tell stories is distinctly anthropic. Brilliant though dogs may be, they can’t verbalize their hopes and dreams. That is, unless those dogs are anthropomorphic—a trait common in works of fiction. From chatty chiweenies to tangoing tapirs, depictions of anthropomorphic animals abound thanks to our creative superpowers.
Examples of anthropomorphic in a Sentence
Armond White, National Review, 6 Mar. 2024
The most recent, the 186th to date, was announced in August: a stone chest filled with objects from the sea and 15 anthropomorphic sculptures in green stone, dating from the reign of Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (1440–69).
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
That might seem like an obvious statement but new reports show a growing number of academics are increasingly using anthropomorphic language to refer to AI models like ChatGPT.
—Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024
While Varon’s book focuses on the two central characters, Berger’s film creates a vivid New York filled with other anthropomorphic creatures.
—Esther Zuckerman, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
The exact origins of the anthropomorphic rabbit are unclear.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024
Dressed in an oversized plague cloak that can stretch the width of the planet as needed, this anthropomorphic fellow seems willing to risk his very existence to explain how the whole dark/light, night/day thing works (with the help of a short filmstrip guest narrated by Werner Herzog).
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024
Expect Pixar movie and character shout outs, right down to a gigantic version of Pixar’s signature anthropomorphic desk lamp.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2024
Indeed, one takeaway from this portrait of a shabby-happy Big Apple populated solely with anthropomorphic animals and surprisingly sensitive automatons is that the world might be a better place without humans in it.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anthropomorphic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Greek anthrōpómorphos "having human form" (from anthrōpo- anthropo- + -morphos -morphous) + -ic entry 1
1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Podcast
Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!
Dictionary Entries Near anthropomorphic
Cite this Entry
“Anthropomorphic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropomorphic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on anthropomorphic
Britannica English: Translation of anthropomorphic for Arabic Speakers
Share