I. ˈa-nə-mət adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin animatus, past participle of animare to give life to, from anima breath, soul; akin to Old English ōthian to breathe, Latin animus spirit, Greek anemos wind, Sanskrit aniti he breathes
Date: 15th century
1. : possessing or characterized by life : alive
2. : full of life : animated
3. : of or relating to animal life as opposed to plant life
4. : referring to a living thing
an animate noun
• an·i·mate·ly adverb
• an·i·mate·ness noun
II. -ˌmāt transitive verb
( -mat·ed ; -mat·ing )
Date: 15th century
1. : to give spirit and support to : encourage
2.
a. : to give life to
b. : to give vigor and zest to
3. : to move to action
a criminal animated by greed
4.
a. : to make or design in such a way as to create apparently spontaneous lifelike movement
animate a cartoon
b. : to produce in the form of an animated cartoon
animate a story
Synonyms: see quicken