skiamorph

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σκῐᾱ́ (skiā́, “shadow”) + μορφή (morphḗ, “form”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈskiəmɔɹf/
• enPR: SKEE-uh-morf

Noun

skiamorph (plural skiamorphs)

1. (uncommon) Synonym of skeuomorph
   • 2009 [1981], J. E. Gordon, Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down‎^[1], Hachette Books, →ISBN:

     Survivals of this sort are known as ‘skiamorphs’ (shadow shapes), and in one form or another they are very common in technology,^[sic] A modern instance is the survival of timber graining on the surface of plastic mouldings and furniture.

   • 2015, Janis Jefferies, Diana Wood Conroy, Hazel Clark, editors, The Handbook of Textile Culture, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, page 143:

     As mentioned above, archaeology shows us that the echo of one material is often imitated in other materials as a ‘skiamorph’ (skia, Greek for shadow; morph, shape). Here one medium ‘shadows’ another material, which may have become outmoded by quicker industrial processes yet the exact shape of the older form is retained in the newer material.

Derived terms

• skiamorphic
• skiamorphism