What does animation mean?
Animation is a noun with two principal meanings. In its modern, dominant sense, it denotes the art and technique of creating the illusion of movement by displaying a rapid succession of still images — whether hand-drawn cels, stop-motion puppets, or computer-generated frames — and it names both the creative industry built around this craft and the finished moving imagery itself. In an older, more literary sense, animation describes liveliness: the vigor, spirit, and expressive energy visible in a person's face, voice, or manner, as when someone speaks 'with animation.' Both senses trace to the same root, the Latin verb animare, meaning 'to give life to,' from anima, 'soul' or 'breath.' The word is entirely standard in register, used neutrally in both British and American English, and it carries broadly positive connotations — suggesting vitality, creativity, and the seemingly magical power of making still things move.
The technique or process of creating the illusion of movement by rapidly displaying a sequence of still images; also, the resulting medium or industry.
"Pixar revolutionized feature-film animation with fully computer-generated imagery."
Liveliness, vigor, or spirited energy in a person's appearance, manner, or expression.
"She recounted the adventure with such animation that no one dared interrupt her."
This sense is somewhat more formal or literary than the filmmaking sense.
The plural typically refers to multiple individual animated works or sequences rather than instances of liveliness, which is usually uncountable.
"The website loads several short animations as you scroll through the page."
The word 'animation' literally means 'the act of bringing to life' — which is why animators have always seen themselves as giving drawings a soul.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of animation
Animation derives from the Latin verb animare, 'to give life to,' itself formed on anima, meaning breath, soul, or living spirit. The noun entered English via French in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century, first carrying the sense of liveliness or the bestowal of life. Its application to the moving-image medium arose in the early twentieth century, when filmmakers began using the term to describe the process of making drawings and models appear to move. It shares this Latin root with words such as animate, animal, unanimous, and animus.
Related word forms
How animation is actually used
In everyday speech, 'animation' most often refers to the filmmaking medium, while its older sense of personal liveliness survives mainly in literary or formal contexts ('she spoke with animation'). The word is standard and neutral in register across British and American English.
Easily confused with animation
Animosity means intense hostility or ill will, whereas animation means liveliness or the art of moving images — despite both deriving from Latin animus/animare.
Anime refers specifically to Japanese-style animation as a genre or medium, while animation is the general technique and term.