animation
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a film or computer game made from many drawings or models that are shown quickly to look like they are moving.
the technique of photographing successive drawings or positions of models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence.
Simple“The studio uses 3D animation to make their characters look more realistic.”
In context“Modern animation has evolved from hand-drawn cells to sophisticated computer-generated imagery that can simulate complex physics and lighting.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the quality of being full of energy, excitement, or spirit.
the state of being full of life, vigour, or spirit; vivacity in expression or movement.
Simple“She spoke with great animation about her plans for the new business.”
In context“The conductor led the orchestra with such animation that the audience remained captivated throughout the entire four-hour performance.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
the act of bringing something to life or making it appear alive.
the act of imparting life, spirit, or motion to a previously inanimate object or concept.
Simple“The animation of the puppet was so smooth it almost looked human.”
In context“The myth describes the animation of the clay figure by a divine breath, transforming a statue into a living being.”
Synonymsenliveningactivation - 04 C2 Proficiency
changing a word from a 'thing' category to a 'living being' category in grammar.
the linguistic process of converting a lexical item from the inanimate to the animate grammatical category.
Simple“In some languages, the animation of a noun changes how the verb is spelled.”
In context“The researcher argued that the animation of certain abstract concepts in the dialect was a result of prolonged personification in local folklore.”
UsageUsed primarily in the context of morphological or syntactic analysis.
“Niu Lai, a low-budget animation film about a cow in a dream sequence has seen a huge jump in ticket sales after going viral for its confusing plot and terrible graphics.”
“The film made history as the first feature-length, 3D-rendered film produced entirely with computer animation.”
From Latin animatio, from animare, equivalent to animate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.