anthropomorphize

/ˌanθɹəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz/

//ˌanθɹəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz// verb

"anthropomorphize" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“anthropomorphize” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
16
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To endow with human qualities.

Corpus desk

Index EN-anthropomorphize · anthropomorphize · English

anthropomorphize · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 16 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for anthropomorphize
PropertyValue
Headwordanthropomorphize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌanθɹəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz/
Letters16
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “anthropomorphize” in English

anthropomorphizefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

anthropomorphize is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˌanθɹəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for anthropomorphize, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: By surface analysis, anthropo- + morph + -ize. The correct English form is anthropomorphize, spelled A-N-T-H-R-O-P-O-M-O-R-P-H-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To endow with human qualities.
  2. 2
    To attribute human-like characteristics to (something that is non-human).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how anthropomorphize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Bonnie Lucas further anthropomorphizes the flower in her watercolors, combining it surreally with the human female figure[…]
  2. A month away from twenty-six and there you are, in the middle of a Monday afternoon, genuinely engaged in the madcap antics of a slope-headed, claymated man and his anthropomorphized horse.

Etymology

By surface analysis, anthropo- + morph + -ize.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "anthropomorphize"?
"anthropomorphize" is spelled A-N-T-H-R-O-P-O-M-O-R-P-H-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌanθɹəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz/.
What does "anthropomorphize" mean?
As a verb, "anthropomorphize" means: To endow with human qualities.
How do you pronounce "anthropomorphize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anthropomorphize" is /ˌanθɹəpəˈmɔːfʌɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "anthropomorphize"?
By surface analysis, anthropo- + morph + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list