animation etymology

Etymology

The word "animation" derives from the Latin word "animare," meaning "to enliven, imbue with life, animate." It traces its roots further back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂enh₁-," which also meant "to breathe" or "to live."

Meaning

Animation refers to:

• The art of giving the illusion of movement to inanimate objects or characters.
• The process of creating animated images through various techniques, such as drawing, computer graphics, or stop-motion.
• The movement, vitality, or liveliness of an object or person.

Origin

The concept of animation can be traced back to ancient times, with examples found in early cave paintings and shadow puppetry. However, the modern form of animation developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

• Thaumatrope (1826): A spinning disc with two images that created the illusion of a single image in motion.
• Phenakistoscope (1832): A rotating disc with sequential images that gave the illusion of movement when viewed through slits.
• Zoetrope (1834): A cylindrical device with slits that allowed viewers to see a series of images in rapid succession, creating the impression of animation.

These early devices paved the way for the development of hand-drawn animation and eventually computer-generated animation. The first commercially successful animated film, "Steamboat Willie" (1928), featured the iconic character Mickey Mouse. Today, animation is ubiquitous in various industries, including entertainment, education, advertising, and scientific visualization.

animation relate terms

• suspended

  Etymology Suspend verb From Middle French suspendre from Latin suspendere meanin

• suspend

  Etymology The word suspend comes from the Latin word suspendere which means to hang

• animatronic

  Etymology The word animatronic is a portmanteau of animate and electronic Meaning

• animation

  Etymology The word animation derives from the Latin word animare meaning to enliven

• electronics

  Etymology Greek elektron amber Latin electricus relating to amber French élec

• anime

  Etymology The word anime アニメ is a Japanese loanword derived from the French wor

• inanimate

  Etymology The word inanimate comes from the Latin word inanimatus which means with

• life

  Etymology The word life originates from the Old English word līf which is derived f

• dramatic

  Etymology The word dramatic derives from the Greek word dran meaning to do or to

• animism

  Etymology Derived from Latin anima soul life and the suffix ism belief Mean

• inspiration

  Etymology Latin inspiro in in spirare to breathe Proto Indo European spe

• spirit

  Etymology The word spirit is derived from the Latin word spiritus which means breat

• survival

  Etymology The word survival is derived from the Latin word supervivere which means

• living

  Etymology Living is derived from the Old English word lifian which means to live

• activity

  Etymology The word activity derives from the Latin word agere meaning to do drive