The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Animism \An"i*mism\, n. [Cf. F. animisme, fr. L. anima soul. See
   Animate.]
   1. The doctrine, taught by Stahl, that the soul is the proper
      principle of life and development in the body.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The belief that inanimate objects and the phenomena of
      nature are endowed with personal life or a living soul;
      also, in an extended sense, the belief in the existence of
      soul or spirit apart from matter. --Tylor.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

animism
    n 1: the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe
         itself have souls; "animism is common among primitive
         peoples"