Added 10 October 2026
reification
/ˌɹeɪəfəˈkeɪʃən/ noun
Latin root: rēs First recorded: 1846 Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about reification at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Regarding something abstract as a material thing.
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Representing a human being as a physical thing deprived of personal qualities or individuality.
according to Marx, treating labor as a commodity exemplified the reification of the individual
Origin
First attested around 1846; a macaronic calque of German Verdinglichung, using -ification (“making”) for ver- + -lich + -ung, and Latin rēs (“thing”) for Ding (“thing”)
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)