Animatistic

/ˌænɪməˈtɪstɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characteristic of animatism or the belief that natural objects possess spiritual essences and life forces.

Etymology

From 'animatist' + '-ic' (adjective marker). This scholarly adjective describes worldviews or religious systems based on the principle that all nature has vital essences.

Kelly Says

When anthropologists describe a culture's beliefs as 'animatistic,' they're noting something profound: these people experienced nature as fundamentally alive and communicative, not as dead matter waiting to be used!

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