To attribute human characteristics, emotions, or behaviors to non-human things like animals, plants, or objects.
From anthropo- (human) + morphe (form) + -ize (to make or cause to be). The -ize suffix, from Greek, indicates 'to make into' or 'to cause to be.'
When scientists study animal behavior, they constantly struggle with this—is the dog really 'happy' or are we anthropomorphizing? Yet this instinct might be why humans can empathize with other species at all.
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