Effigy
/ˈɛf.ɪ.dʒi/noun
A sculpture or model of a person, often used to represent them in a symbolic manner.
Did you know?In ancient cultures, burning an effigy was believed to transfer the sins or misfortunes of a person onto the statue, symbolically cleansing them.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeigʰ-
“to show or to make visible”
Latin
Latin
effigies
“a representation or image of a person, often in a lifelike form”
Old French
Old French
efigie
“a representation or image, especially in a sculpted form”
14th Century
Middle English
effigie
“a likeness or image of a person, typically for ceremonial purposes”
Modern English
English
effigy
“a sculpted or painted representation of a person, often used in symbolic acts or protests.”