Anthropomorphic
From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.
Anthropomorphic is a word meaning "like a human." It is used to describe a well-known concept called anthropomorphism, or ascribing human characteristics to a non-human being or object. Typically, this is used in reference to deities, which are usually given the form of humans. However, the word can apply to any non-human thing, including animals, plants, and inanimate objects.
In a literary sense, there is a difference between ascribing human traits to an object (anthropomorphism), or to an abstract concept (personification).
[edit] Anthropomorphic and furry
Since the 1980s, the furry fandom has used the word to refer primarily to bipedal animals. Anthropomorphic animals are sometimes called anthro or morphic for short, and art featuring furry characters is sometimes called anthro art. This is somewhat ironic, as anthro ultimately derives from the Greek anthropos, a word that means "human being."
Words like zoomorphic and especially therianthropic also properly describe an animal/human blend, but anthropomorphic is the more widely used term in the fandom.
[edit] See also
There are subtle differences between the terms for an animal that thinks like a human and an animal that looks like a human. However, within the furry community the following terms seem to be used interchangeably:
- Anthropomorphic/Anthro/Morphic
- Zoomorphic
- Non-anthro/Nonmorphic
