Animism

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: an=i=mism

CIDE DICTIONARY

Animism, n. [Cf. F. animisme, fr. L. anima soul. See Animate.].

•  The doctrine, taught by Stahl, that the soul is the proper principle of life and development in the body.  [1913 Webster]
•  The belief that inanimate objects and the phenomena of nature are endowed with personal life or a living soul; also, in an extended sense, the belief in the existence of soul or spirit apart from matter.  Tylor.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Animism, n.
1 the attribution of a living soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.
2 the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.

Derivative

animist n. animistic adj.

Etymology

L anima life, soul + -ISM

THESAURUS

Animism

Berkeleianism, Hegelianism, Kantianism, Neoplatonism, Platonic form, Platonic idea, Platonism, absolute idealism, allotheism, animatism, form, heathendom, heathenism, heathenry, hylozoism, idealism, idolatry, immaterialism, metaphysical idealism, monistic idealism, pagandom, paganism, paganry, panpsychism, personalism, psychism, solipsism, spiritualism, subjectivism, transcendental, universal