computer-animated
Meaning
(of a film, character, or scene) created using computer graphics to give the illusion of movement.
Structure
Usage
The film is a landmark in computer-animated feature filmmaking.
They used sophisticated software to create the computer-animated sequences.
The commercial featured a highly realistic computer-animated animal.
Etymology
The term is a modern compound adjective, directly combining two established English words. 'Computer' originates from the Latin 'computare,' meaning to sum up or reckon, evolving to denote an electronic calculating machine. 'Animated' derives from the Latin 'anima,' signifying the breath of life or soul, which gave rise to the concept of imparting motion and vitality. The compound 'computer-animated' logically fuses these ideas: it describes imagery that has been endowed with the illusion of life ('animated') through the specific technological process of calculation and rendering performed by a 'computer.' This term distinctly captures the 20th-century shift from hand-drawn or stop-motion animation to digital creation.
Analysis
- computer: From Latin 'computare' (to calculate, reckon). In this compound, it functions as a noun modifier specifying the tool or method. - animated: From Latin 'anima' (breath, soul, life). The suffix '-ated' forms a past participle adjective meaning "endowed with life or motion."