animation

/ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/

//ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"animation" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“animation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,290 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,290
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of animating, or giving life or spirit.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

animation vs aviation
78% similar
animation vs animator
78% similar
animation vs agitation
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for animation
PropertyValue
Headwordanimation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#5,290
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “animation” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). animation lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for animation is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,290 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for animation, with forms such as "ainmation", "aniamtion", and "animaiton". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "aviation", "animator", "agitation", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin animatio, from animare, equivalent to animate + -ion. The correct English form is animation, spelled A-N-I-M-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of animating, or giving life or spirit.
  2. 2
    A sequence of still drawings or inanimate objects displayed in rapid succession to create the illusion of movement in motion pictures or computer graphics; the object (film, computer game, etc.) produced
  3. 3
    The state of being lively, brisk, or full of spirit and vigor; vivacity; spiritedness
  4. 4
    The condition of being animate or alive.
  5. 5
    conversion from the inanimate to animate grammatical category
  6. 6
    Activities offered by a holiday resort encompassing activities that include movement, joy, leisure and spectacle, such as games, sports, shows, events, etc.

Etymology

From Latin animatio, from animare, equivalent to animate + -ion.

Synonyms

vitalizationvivificationenlivenmentairinessardorbuoyancyearnestnessenergyenthusiasmlivelinesspromptitudespiritsprightlinessvivacitylife

This word in other languages

animación(Español)animation(Français)Belebung(Deutsch)animação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ainmation,aniamtion,animaiton,animasion,animatino,animationn,animatoin,animattion,animmation,animtaion,anmiation,annimation,naimation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of animation - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ainmation2aniamtion2animaiton2animasion1animatino2animationn1animatoin2animattion1
Edit distance from "animation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "animation"?
"animation" is spelled A-N-I-M-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/.
What does "animation" mean?
As a noun, "animation" means: The act of animating, or giving life or spirit.
What words are commonly confused with "animation"?
"animation" is commonly confused with "aviation", "animator", "agitation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "animation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "animation" is /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "animation"?
From Latin animatio, from animare, equivalent to animate + -ion. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “animation”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-N-I-M-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “aviation” - see the side-by-side comparison. animation vs aviation
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list