🇮🇹Italian Source WordCode: IT

animista

Pronunciation / Transliteration: a-ni-mi-sta

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Animist/ˈæn.ɪ.mɪst/
nounadjectiveCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #28500 frequency
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🇮🇹 Example Sentence in Italian:

"Il popolo indigeno seguiva una tradizione animista."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A person who believes that non-human entities—such as animals, plants, and inanimate objects—possess a spiritual essence or soul.

    "The tribal elder, acting as an animist, offered prayers to the ancient oak tree before harvesting its bark."
As adjective
  1. 1

    Relating to or characterized by the worldview that all things in nature have a living soul or spirit.

    "Their animist traditions emphasize a deep, respectful harmony with the surrounding forest and mountains."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Latin word 'anima', meaning 'breath' or 'soul', combined with the suffix '-ist'. Coined in the late 19th century through anthropological studies, notably by Sir Edward Tylor in his 1871 work 'Primitive Culture', to describe belief systems attributing spiritual essence to non-human entities.

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