galeanthropy

English

WOTD – 5 May 2017

Etymology

A woman made up to look like a cat for a Halloween party

From Ancient Greek γαλῆ (galê), a contracted form of γαλέη (galéē, “weasel”) + ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “humanity”).

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ɡæliˈænθɹəpi/
Audio (RP) (file)
Hyphenation: ga‧le‧an‧thro‧py

Noun

galeanthropy (uncountable)

(rare) A mental condition of thinking that one has become a cat, which is usually manifested in the adoption of feline mannerisms and habits.
- 1973, M. E. Kerr [pseudonym; Marijane Meaker], chapter 5, in If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever?, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row, →ISBN; republished Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall Cavendish, 2009, →ISBN, page 49:
  "That is the most interesting delusion I've come across since reading up on galeanthropy," said Sophie. […] / "What's galeanthropy?" I asked. / Sophie said, "It's the delusion that you've been turned into a cat."
- 1994 May 20, Matthew Marchese, “Tales of Obscure Usage I”, in talk.bizarre, Usenet‎, message-ID <1994May20.134031.17065@driftwood.cray.com>:
  Meanwhile his frau made loud mewling and scratching noises in the hallway beyond, deep in the throes of advanced galeanthropy.
- 1996, Charles Harrington Elster, “Dr Elster's Verbal Health Center”, in There's a Word for It!: A Grandiloquent Guide to Life, New York, N.Y.: Scribner, →ISBN, page 33:
  One of the finest novels for children ever written, in my opinion, is Paul Gallico's The Abandoned, in which a young boy named Peter, struck by a van while running across the street to pet a cat, falls into a coma and experiences galeanthropy.
- 1998 April 15, Serenleono, “Re: Touched by Chris Farely”, in alt.religion.angels, Usenet‎, message-ID <3537764a.34513787@news.mindspring.com>:
  You got through to him?! He [Jack Kevorkian] won't return my calls anymore and his secretary just keeps repeating "No, we don't think suffering from galeanthropy makes one a valid candidate for the doctor's consideration."

Translations