animation
/æn.əˈmeɪ.ʃən/
The act of bringing something to life, whether through technical art or emotional energy. In a modern context, it most often refers to the cinematic technique of creating movement from static images.
Beyond film, it describes a state of vigor and excitement in a person's mannerisms or voice. An "animated" conversation feels alive, spontaneous, and physically expressive.
Unlike 'excitement,' which is an internal feeling, animation implies the outward manifestation of that energy through gesture, tone, and movement.
Uncountable when referring to the general art form or technique of creating moving images ('She studies animation at university'). Countable when referring to a specific produced sequence, clip, or individual character movement ('The movie features several stunning 3D animations').
💬Casual Conversation
Is the animation in that new game you're playing pushing the envelope?
Is the animation in that new game you're playing pushing the envelope?
It's fine. Not exactly reinventing the wheel, though.
It's fine. Not exactly reinventing the wheel, though.
Meanings
Etymology
Derived from the Latin word animatio, meaning the act of giving life, which stems from animare, meaning to breathe life into. This is rooted in anima, meaning soul or breath. The term transitioned from a biological and spiritual context to a technical one in the 19th century to describe the creation of artificial movement in art and cinema.