Word
GIF
Phoneticsgif
Definition
n. Stands for Graphics Interchange Format. A type of image file that can show a short, silent animation that loops.
n. Abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format. A lossless 8-bit-color bitmap image format that supports animation and is widely used for simple graphics on the web.
Examples
“She sent a funny GIF of a cat dancing.”
“Instead of typing a long reply, he used a GIF to show how excited he was about the news.”
“While the format was originally designed for simple graphics, the GIF has evolved into a primary medium for internet memes and short-form visual storytelling.”
Examples
simple
“She sent a funny GIF of a cat dancing.”
contextual
“Instead of typing a long reply, he used a GIF to show how excited he was about the news.”
complex
“While the format was originally designed for simple graphics, the GIF has evolved into a primary medium for internet memes and short-form visual storytelling.”
Usage
Often used as a countable noun; the pronunciation is debated between a hard 'g' (as in 'gift') and a soft 'g' (as in 'gym').
Teaching tip
While technically a specific file format, internet users often call any short, looping silent video a 'GIF' regardless of the actual file extension.
Synonyms
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/gif