What is "zoomorphism"

Zoomorphism \Zo`["o]*mor"phism\, n.

1. The transformation of men into beasts. [R.]
   --Smart.

2. The quality of representing or using animal forms; as, zo["o]morphism in ornament.

3. The representation of God, or of gods, in the form, or with the attributes, of the lower animals.

   To avoid the error of anthropomorphism, we fall into the vastly greater, and more absurd, error of zo["o]morphism.
   --Mivart.

alt. 1 The representation of gods as animals or the attributing of animal characteristics to gods. 2 (context arts literature English) The use of animal figures in art and design or of animal symbols in literature. 3 The viewing of human behavior in terms of the behavior of animals. n. 1 The representation of gods as animals or the attributing of animal characteristics to gods. 2 (context arts literature English) The use of animal figures in art and design or of animal symbols in literature. 3 The viewing of human behavior in terms of the behavior of animals.

n. the attribution of animal forms or qualities to a god

• Art that imagines humans as non-human animalsHope B. Werness, The Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in Art,

Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004, px. ISBN 0-8264-1525-3

• Art that portrays one species of animal like another species of animal
• Art that creates patterns using animal imagery, or animal style
• Deities depicted in animal form, such as exist in ancient Egyptian religionSimson R Najovits, ''Egypt, Trunk of the Tree: A Modern Survey of

an Ancient Land'', Algora Publishing, 2004, p279. ISBN 0-87586-201-2

• Therianthropy: the ability to shapeshift into animal formGerina Dunwich, Wicca A to Z: A Modern Witch's Encyclopedia,

Kensington Pub Corp, 1998, p155. ISBN 0-8065-1930-4

• Attributing animal form or other animal characteristics to anything other than an animal; similar to but broader than anthropomorphism
• The tendency of viewing human behaviour in terms of the behaviour of animals, contrary to anthropomorphism, which views animal or non-animal behaviour in human terms

The word derives from the Greek ζωον (zōon), meaning animal, and μορφη (morphē), meaning shape or form.