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Origin and history of animate

animate(v.)

1530s, "to fill with boldness or courage," from Latin animatus past participle of animare "give breath to," also "to endow with a particular spirit, to give courage to, enliven," from anima "life, breath" (from PIE root *ane- "to breathe").

The sense of "give natural life to" in English is attested from 1742. The meaning "render in moving pictures" is by 1888 (animated pictures); in reference to cinematic cartoons by 1911. Related: Animated; animating.

animate(adj.)

"alive," late 14c., animat, from Latin animatus, past participle of animare "give breath to," also "to endow with a particular spirit, to give courage to, enliven," from anima "life, breath" (from PIE root *ane- "to breathe").

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to animate

animated(adj.)

1530s, "alive," past-participle adjective from animate (v.). The meaning "mentally excited, lively" is from 1530s, that of "full of activity" is from 1580s. The moving pictures sense is attested from 1890. Related: Animatedly.

At present [Edison] is working at the 'Kinetograph,' a combination of the phonograph and the instantaneous photograph as exhibited in the zoetrope, by which he expects to produce an animated picture or simulacrum of a scene in real life or the drama, with its appropriate words and sounds. [J. Munro, "Heroes of the Telegraph," 1890]
animator(n.)

1630s, "one who or that which enlivens or inspires," from Latin animator, agent noun from animare (see animate (v.)). Cinematographic sense of "artist who makes drawings for cinematographic cartoons" is by 1919.

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inanimate
early 15c., "without vital force, having lost life," from Late Latin inanimatus "lifeless," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + animatus (see animation). The Latin word closest corresponding in form and sense is inanimalis. Meaning "lacking vivacity, without spirit, dull" is from 1734
inspire
mid-14c., enspiren, "to fill (the mind, heart, etc., with grace, etc.);" also "to prompt or induce (someone to do something)," from Old French enspirer (13c.), from Latin inspirare "blow into, breathe upon," figuratively "inspire, excite, inflame," from in- "in" (from PIE root *e
animal
"animate, living; of the air," from anima "breath, soul; a current of air" (from PIE root *ane- "to breathe;" for sense development...
water
The first (preserved in Sanskrit apah as well as Punjab and julep) was "animate," referring to water as a living force; the...
creature
c. 1300, "anything created," hence "a thing" in general, animate or not, but most commonly "a living being," from Old French...
soul
and wills" [Century Dictionary], Middle English soule, from Old English sawol "spiritual and emotional part of a person, animate...
stir
Middle English stiren, from Old English styrian, stirian "to move, be or become active or busy, pass into motion," also transitive, "to agitate with a rotating motion (a liquid or mixture by hand or with an instrument), move, change the location of; rouse, agitate, incite, urge;"
change
c. 1200, "to alter, make different, change" (transitive); early 13c. as "to substitute one for another;" mid-13c. as "to make (something) other than what it was, cause to turn or pass from one state to another;" from late 13c. as "to become different, be altered" (intransitive),
revive
early 15c., reviven, "regain consciousness; recover health," also transitive, "restore (someone) to health, revive (someone or something)," from Old French revivre (10c.) and directly from Latin revivere "to live again," from re- "again" (see re-) + vivere "to live" (from PIE roo

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