verb
- treated or regarded as a real, concrete thing; gave substance or independent existence to (an abstract concept or quality)
Usage: British spelling (American: hypostasized); formal, philosophical, or theological context; past tense and past participle of hypostasize
Examples
- The philosopher hypostasised abstract virtues as if they were independent beings.
- Medieval theologians hypostasised the Trinity into three distinct persons.
- Critics argued that the author hypostasised fear and desire as autonomous forces.
- The theory hypostasised social structures that were actually fluid and constructed.
- By hypostasising the concept of race, early scientists gave false credibility to a flawed idea.