reify v.

1846, "mental act of materializing (a person or concept), objectivization, the regarding or treating of an idea as a thing," from Latin re-, stem of res "thing" (see re), + -fication "a making or causing." In Marxist writing, "depersonalization," translating German Verdinglichung.

"with reference to," used from c. 1700 in legalese, from Latin (in) re "in the matter of," from ablative of res "property, goods; matter, thing, affair," from Proto-Italic *re-, from PIE *reh-i- "wealth, goods" (source also of Sanskrit rayi- "property, goods," Avestan raii-i- "wealth"). Its non-legalese use is execrated by Fowler in three different sections of "Modern English Usage."

word-forming element meaning "make, make into," from French -fier, from Latin -ficare, combining form of facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").