Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A kind of madness in which the afflicted person imagines himself to be a dog, and imitates its voice and actions.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Med.) A kind of madness in which men fancy themselves changed into dogs, and imitate the voice and habits of that animal.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun medicine A delusion in which a person believes he or she is transformed into a dog.
  • noun anthropology, folklore A shape-shifting ability between human and canine forms.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Coined based on Ancient Greek κύων (kuōn, "dog") and ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos, "man; human").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word cynanthropy.

Examples

  • All those who are interested in the spread of human culture among the lower animals (and their name is legion) should make a point of not missing the really marvellous exhibition of cynanthropy given by the famous old Irish red setter wolfdog formerly known by the SOBRIQUET of Garryowen and recently rechristened by his large circle of friends and acquaintances Owen

    Ulysses 2003

  • All those who are interested in the spread of human culture among the lower animals (and their name is legion) should make a point of not missing the really marvellous exhibition of cynanthropy given by the famous old Irish red setter wolfdog formerly known by the _sobriquet_ of

    Ulysses James Joyce 1911

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • JM reckons that cynanthropy sufferers are barking up the wrong delusion.

    October 24, 2009