zoomorphic
adjective
zoo·mor·phic
ˌzō-ə-ˈmȯr-fik 
1
: having the form of an animal
2
: of, relating to, or being a deity conceived of in animal form or with animal attributes
Did you know?
Zoomorphic comes from zôion, meaning "animal," and -morphic, an adjective combining form meaning "have (such) a form" and from Greek morphē, "form."
Examples of zoomorphic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Additional anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines were found over the ensuing decades, and in 2002 fingerprints were discovered on many of the objects.
—
Jaimie Seaton, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2024
People also preferred the zoomorphic gestures over more abstract gestures designed to communicate the same concept.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2021
According to Megan Catherine Rose, an Australian researcher who studies the aesthetics and sociology of creepy-cute zoomorphic cyberpets, the toy’s strange design is part of what made the original Furby so memorable.
—Julia Carmel, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
Arranged around the monumental marble table, a set of 12 vaguely zoomorphic iron-and-leather dining chairs by Mario Milana layers on the whimsy.
—Elvis Maynard, ELLE Decor, 24 May 2023
Farnsworth’s self-description as a wandering animal, trapped in the glass house like Aretaeus’s zoomorphic womb, is all too appropriate given her gendered dismissal.
—Daisy Alioto, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2020
If the arrangement of her exquisite zoomorphic sculptures—anacondas, armadillos, caimans, capybaras, jaguars, monkeys, parrots, river dolphins, red squirrels—called to mind a ritual gathering, the image was not accidental.
—Andrea K. Scott, The New Yorker, 24 Dec. 2022
Some Muslims were offended by its zoomorphic motifs.
—Anna Sherman Maxime Fossat, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2022
There are hundreds of geometric and zoomorphic images in the area, which covers about 175 square miles, The Guardian reports.
—Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jaimie Seaton, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2024
People also preferred the zoomorphic gestures over more abstract gestures designed to communicate the same concept.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2021
According to Megan Catherine Rose, an Australian researcher who studies the aesthetics and sociology of creepy-cute zoomorphic cyberpets, the toy’s strange design is part of what made the original Furby so memorable.
—Julia Carmel, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
Arranged around the monumental marble table, a set of 12 vaguely zoomorphic iron-and-leather dining chairs by Mario Milana layers on the whimsy.
—Elvis Maynard, ELLE Decor, 24 May 2023
Farnsworth’s self-description as a wandering animal, trapped in the glass house like Aretaeus’s zoomorphic womb, is all too appropriate given her gendered dismissal.
—Daisy Alioto, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2020
If the arrangement of her exquisite zoomorphic sculptures—anacondas, armadillos, caimans, capybaras, jaguars, monkeys, parrots, river dolphins, red squirrels—called to mind a ritual gathering, the image was not accidental.
—Andrea K. Scott, The New Yorker, 24 Dec. 2022
Some Muslims were offended by its zoomorphic motifs.
—Anna Sherman Maxime Fossat, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2022
There are hundreds of geometric and zoomorphic images in the area, which covers about 175 square miles, The Guardian reports.
—Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Zoomorphic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zoomorphic. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share