objectification

[ uhb-jek-tuh-fi-key-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or an instance of treating a person as an object or thing:

   The objectification of women in the media teaches girls that all they have to offer is their body and face, and they should expend all their effort on physical appearance.

2. the act or practice of regarding the natural world, or any part of it, solely as an inanimate object of study or exploitation with no intrinsic relationship to human beings:

   This scientific approach—the objectification of nature, an inability to look beyond its physical aspects—is what Thoreau was rebelling against during his sojourn at Walden Pond.

3. the act or practice of presenting an idea, feeling, or other abstraction as a concrete object that can be seen, touched, etc.:

   This approach to the material culture of clothing understands clothes in terms of their objectification of cultural values.

Other Words From

• de-ob·jec·ti·fi·ca·tion noun
• non·ob·jec·ti·fi·ca·tion noun
• self-ob·jec·ti·fi·ca·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of objectification¹

objecti(fy) ( def ) + -fication ( def )

Example Sentences

The film is described as having had a profound effect on the representation of black people’s experiences of marginalisation and objectification.

From BBC

Grammatically speaking, I’ve contemplated the power of the closeup, both an objectification and a privilege.

From Los Angeles Times

Emma Beddington wrote that there is "plenty to horrify" in the series, including the physical toll on the team members' bodies, the "abysmal pay" and "the objectification".

From BBC

She also wrote “Sensual Faith: The Spiritual Art of Coming Back to Your Body,” a treatise on liberation from the sexual politics and objectification of Black women’s bodies in the church setting.

From Seattle Times

A lot of the faux-chivalrous condescension is being replaced with blunt malevolence and sexual objectification.

From Salon