reification Meaning & Definition
/ˌɹeɪəfəˈkeɪʃən/
What Does Reification Mean?
As a noun, reification means The consideration of an abstract thing as if it were concrete, or of an inanimate object as if it were living. It can also mean The consideration of a human being as an impersonal object.
Reification: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˌɹeɪəfəˈkeɪʃən/ |
| Synonyms | hypostatization, hypostatisation and materialization |
| Plural | reifications |
Reification Definition (Noun)
- The consideration of an abstract thing as if it were concrete, or of an inanimate object as if it were living.
- The consideration of a human being as an impersonal object.
- A process that makes a computable/addressable object out of a non-computable/addressable one; or a concrete class out of a generic one.
- The transformation of a natural-language statement into a form in which its actions and events are quantifiable variables.
Synonyms of Reification
Reification synonyms and antonyms →Word Forms & Grammar
reification (countable and uncountable, plural reifications)
Origin of Reification
First attested around 1846; a macaronic calque of German Verdinglichung, using -ification (“making”) for ver- + -lich + -ung, and Latin rēs (“thing”) for Ding (“thing”)
Common Questions About Reification
What part of speech is reification?
Reification is a noun.
What is another word for reification?
You can replace reification with words such as hypostatization, hypostatisation and materialization. See the full list of reification synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of reification?
The plural of reification is reifications.