animation

noun

an-i-MAY-shuhn/ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/

6 meanings of animation

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Movies or images made by showing many still pictures very fast so they seem to move.
Like flipping through a notebook where each page has a slightly different drawing, so the picture seems to move.
She studied animation so she could make her own cartoons.
The animation in this video game looks really smooth.
Note
2
noununcountable
A lively, cheerful feeling that makes someone seem full of energy.
Like a spark that lights up a person's whole face.
She told the story with so much animation that everyone leaned in.
The children's faces lit up with animation when the clown arrived.
Similarliveliness, energy, enthusiasm, vivacity, spirit
Oppositelethargy, listlessness, dullness
3
noununcountable
The act of giving life or energy to something.
Like winding up a toy so it can move on its own.
The animation of the toy robot made it walk and talk.
Magic stories often involve the animation of lifeless objects.
Note
4
noununcountable
The state of being alive instead of being a dead or lifeless thing.
Like the difference between a real bird and a stone statue of one.
What separates a living animal from a rock is its animation.
The old story asked where a body's animation goes after death.
Similarlife, vitality
Oppositelifelessness, death
5
noununcountable
Fun activities a vacation resort offers, like games, sports, and shows.
Like a hotel full of planned fun, where staff set up games and shows for you.
The hotel's animation kept the kids busy all afternoon with games and shows.
We joined the evening animation and danced until late.
Similarentertainment
6
noununcountable
In grammar, treating a word for a thing as if it names a living being.
Like starting to talk about your car as "he" instead of "it".
In this dialect, animation gives objects the same endings as words for people.
Children sometimes trigger animation by treating their toys as living in speech.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of animation apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Latin animare, meaning to give life. In English it is animate plus the ending -ion.