animist

Variant of animism

animism definition

ani·mism (an′i miz′əm)

noun

  1. the doctrine that all life is produced by a spiritual force separate from matter
  2. the belief that all natural phenomena have souls independent of their physical being
  3. a belief in the existence of spirits, demons, etc.

Etymology: Fr animisme & Ger animismus, both < L anima, soul: see animal & -ism

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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