'animalize' originates from English, formed from 'animal' (ultimately from Latin 'animal' < 'anima' meaning 'breath, soul') plus the verbalizing suffix '-ize' (via French '-iser' from Greek '-izein'), where '-ize' meant 'to make; to render.'.

'animalize' changed under the influence of French 'animaliser' and eventually became the modern English word 'animalize' in the late 18th century.

Initially, it meant 'to endow with animal life' or 'to convert matter into animal substance,' but over time it evolved into its current meanings of 'to make animal-like or brutal' and a specialized biological sense of assimilation.