Reify is the verb for considering or representing something abstract as a material or concrete thing. It emerged in the mid-19th century, combining the Latin "res" (thing) with the suffix "-fy" (to make).
Reify é o verbo de considerar ou representar algo abstrato como uma coisa concreta ou material. Surgiu em meados do século XIX, combinando o latim "res" (coisa) com o sufixo "-fy" (fazer).
| Word | reify |
|---|---|
| Date | April 7, 2018 |
| Type | verb |
| Syllables | RAY-uh-fye |
| Etymology | Reify is a word that attempts to provide a bridge between what is abstract and what is real. Fittingly, it derives from a word that is an ancestor to real—the Latin noun res, meaning "thing." Both reify and the related noun reification first appeared in English in the mid-19th century. Each word combines the Latin res with an English suffix (-fy and -fication, respectively) that is derived from the Latin -ficare, meaning "to make." In general use, the words refer to the act of considering or presenting an abstract idea in real or material terms, or of judging something by a concrete example. |
| Examples | "Increased awareness of automated surveillance, in other words, is most effective at demystifying the systems doing the watching, not reifying their wisdom and authority." — John Herrman, The New York Times, 14 Jan. 2018 "The home is a haven to be sure. There neatness scrubs away history like grease while retaining the polished signs of the past and reifying the timeless." — William H. Gass, The New York Times Book Review, 3 Aug. 1986 |
| Definition | : to consider or represent (something abstract) as a material or concrete thing : to give definite content and form to (a concept or idea) |
Tags: wordoftheday::verb
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