Resembling, characteristic of, or emphasizing animal instincts and behavior rather than reason or civilization.
From 'animalism' plus '-ic' (meaning 'of or relating to'), used since the 19th century to describe behavior or characteristics that display animal rather than human qualities.
The word 'animalistic' carries judgment—when we call something animalistic, we're saying it's beneath human dignity, which reveals how strongly Western culture has separated 'human' from 'animal' as moral categories.
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