anima-, anim-

(Latin: animal life, a living creature; living; breath; soul; mind)

The Latin element, anima-, refers to “a living being” from a Latin form meaning, “of air, having a spirit, living”; which in turn comes from another form meaning, “breath of air, air, soul, life”.

animalistic (an" uh muh LIS tik) (adjective), more animalistic, most animalistic
1. A reference to the enjoyment of vigorous health and physical endurance: Jim strived to eat properly and to exercise for a more animalistic life even in his old age.
2. Relating to the idea that humans are simply like non-human creatures with no spiritual natures: Joseph was convinced that all people have an animalistic existence and that they have just one life and so they should live it to the best of their ability.
animality (an" uh MAL i tee) (s) (noun), animalities (pl)
1. The characteristics of land-living vertebrate as opposed to plants: Humans and other animals are possessed with the ability to walk or run around which certainly is an animality!
2. The consideration of moving creatures as groups: Animalities are used in the classifications of animal kingdoms.
3. Relating to the physical, or non-rational, as distinct from the mental nature of humans: Animality involves the emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's actions and reactions.
animalization (an" uh muh li ZAY shuhn) (s) (noun), animalizations (pl)
1. Something that makes a person behave like a non-human creature: When an individual is directly threatened with his or her life, animalization takes over with his or her instincts of protection, like hiding, fighting back, or running away.
2. A depiction or representation in the form of a mammal other than a human: In the local museum, the artist’s favorite topic was animalization as he discussed the pictures of rare animals hanging on the walls.
animalize (AN uh muh lighz") (verb), animalizes; animalized; animalizing
1. To bring out someone’s brutal or instinctive nature: Sometimes being active in war for a few years in a country can animalize a soldier later on when he or she is home again, and there are some who become quite cruel and ruthless towards others.
2. To make coarse and brutal; dehumanize: Hostilities in fighting can animalize people by degrading them, demeaning them, or putting them down.
3. To endow a deity, or god, with the attributes of a creature that is non-human: Jane read a story where a divine being was animalized into the form of a horse and later appeared again as a humanoid or a person.
animate (AN uh mayt") (verb), animates; animated; animating
1. To make someone or something lively; to give life to: Within a short time after watering the flowers, which were almost dying, the leaves stood up straight and the flowers brightened up or were animated as well.
2. To rouse or inspire a person to take action or to have strong feelings or actions: Jack drank too much wine which seemed to animate him into talking too much and laughing too loudly.
3. To bring someone or something into motions or the appearance of movements: Having strong coffee in the morning energizes or animates some people so that they can proceed with the tasks of the day.
animated (AN uh may" tid) (adjective), more animated; most animated
1. Referring to being full of liveliness or activity, energy; vigor or spirit: The animated conversation at Sam's and Patricia's evening meal was due to the relatives, whom they hadn’t seen in ten years.
2. Pertaining to the sequence of still images that are moving; made or designed so as to seem to be alive and active: The animated characters in the electronic birthday card Max was watching was just the right thing for the 5-year-old boy.
3. Descriptive of being in a physically live condition, as opposed to being dead or inert: The hedgehog that Maurice saw wasn’t lifeless at all, but quite an animate creature that scampered away all of a sudden!


Examples of still images turned into moving illustrations
may be seen in this animated or moving images unit.


animation (an" uh MAY shuhn) (s) (noun), animations (pl)
1. Liveliness in the way someone speaks or behaves; the quality or condition of being active: Susanne showed a great deal of animation as she performed in the drama.
2. The making of movies by filming a sequence of slightly varying drawings or models so that they appear to move and change when the sequence is shown and so they appear to be alive: Animations have been produced for many movies and even for sites on the internet.
animatism (AN im uh tiz" uhm) (s) (noun), animatisms (pl)
1. The belief that lifeless things have consciousness or personality: Some people think that wind and stones have an individuality and an erratic behavior although this animatism is not supported in any way!
2. The ascription of psychic qualities to non living as well as living objects: Animatism is the assigning of some mystic standards or values to inert or even living things.
animato (an" nee MAH toh) (adverb & adjective), more animato, most animato
Characterizing a musical composition that is to be played in a lively and active manner: Finn’s piano teacher said that the piece should be practised animato or in a vigorous way, not in a slow tempo as in largo.
animatography (s) (noun), animatographies (pl)
The creation of short films from a sequence of slides: Animatography is a special form of photographic camera for taking a series of pictures on films.

In the film museum, Mrs. Smart’s class saw an animatography and learned that it was used as a motion-picture projector a long time ago.

animator, animater (AN uh may" tuhr) (s) (noun), animators, animaters (pl)
1. Someone who makes movies that use motion, or who provides technical or artistic skills that are needed to produce movements: Mr. Long was an animator who created lively cartoons for children which could be seen on TV.
2. Someone or something that makes things lively, exciting, or interesting: Ted seemed to be an animator who was full of energy when he talked about his hobby and it sounded so thrilling and inspiring to be a mountain climber like he was.
animatronics (an" uh muh TRAHN iks) (pl) (noun) (a plural used as a singular)
The use of computer technology and a form of radio control to give life to puppets or other non-living, lifeless, or inanimate forms: One application of animatronics is to operate robots; especially, for use in films or other kinds of entertainment.

Jackie was fascinated by animatronics when she visited the film museum where there was a live presentation which showed the visitors how it worked to vitalize wooden figures on the stage.

The term animatronics is a blend of the words "animated" and "electronics".

Animis opibusque parati. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Prepared in minds and resources."

One of two mottoes of the State of South Carolina, USA. Another translation is, "Ready for anything."

This motto has special application for those who embark on a new adventure, and it may also apply to those who anticipate the unpredictable final adventure of all mortals.

The other motto is Dum spiro spero, "While I have breath, I hope."

animism (AN uh miz" uhm) (s) (noun), animisms (pl)
1. The belief that things in nature; such as, trees, mountains, and the sky, have souls or consciousness: Animism is accepted as a conviction or opinion in many religions around the world whereby spiritual life exists in natural objects.
2. The view that a supernatural force enlivens and organizes the universe: In her religion class at school, Grace learned that animism was a hypothesis saying that an immaterial power breathes life into the universe.
3. The religious conviction that people have spirits that exist separately from their bodies: Adam often heard that many people believe that their souls continue to live on after they die whether in heaven or in eternal damnation.
4. Etymology: from Latin anima, "breath, spirit, life".
animistic (AN uh mis tik) (adjective), more animistic, most animistic
1. Pertaining to the soul, spirit, or mind; psychic: In church, the congregation sang spiritual or animistic songs.
2. Etymology: from Latin animus, "the mind" with several other meanings: "the rational soul in man, intellect, consciousness, spirit, sensibility, feeling, passion, pride, vehemence, wrath, etc., the breath, life, soul"

Related "animal" units: faun-; therio-; zoo-.

Related life, live-word units: bio-; -cole; vita-; viva-.

Inter-related cross references, directly or indirectly, involving the "mind, mental" word units: anima-; anxi-; deliri-; hallucina-; menti-; moro-; noo-; nous; phreno-; psych-; thymo-2.