The alleged ability to shift shapes from human to animal form, then back again. See also "lycanthropy", "shape-shifting", "Theriomancy", and "werewolf".
Therianthropy is derived from the noun therianthrope, meaning part man and part beast, derived in turn from the Greek therion (ΘηÏιον), meaning "wild animal" or "beast", and anthrÅpos (ανθÏωπος), meaning "man". Therianthropes have been a long-term feature of mythology, appearing in ancient cave drawings and in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs . The Inquisitions of the 16th century claimed to have documented therianthropy in mortals, specifically referring to lycanthropy, the state of being a werewolf.