PoliticsAugust 28, 2026

reified

REE-ih-fide

Definition

To treat an abstract concept or perception as if it were a concrete, tangible, or physical reality.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word 'res' (thing) and 'facere' (to make), the term entered English in the 19th century to describe the act of turning an abstract idea into a 'thing'.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe how the Supreme Court has reified the perception of Congress as a 'broken branch,' treating a subjective political assessment as if it were an immutable, objective fact.

Reconstructing the Executive Branch

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Liberal Currents

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