Cinemagraph

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An image that features a static scene with limited motion to create a captivating visual effect
2. A visual art form that combines a static photograph with subtle animation to evoke a sense of motion
3. A type of digital artwork that merges a still image with slight movements to produce an intriguing visual experience

Etymology: Its first half comes from Greek "kinema," meaning "movement," from "kinein," "to move." Through French, "cinéma" was clipped from "cinématographe," the name of an early motion-picture projector, so the film theatre and the film industry inherited a word that meant movement. The second half, "-graph," comes from Greek "graphein," "to write" or "to draw," which gives the compound a literal sense of "movement-writing." The term was coined for a new kind of image: a still photograph in which one small element, such as steam rising from a cup or hair blowing in the wind, loops endlessly while everything else stays frozen. Photographers Kevin Burg and Jamie Beck are credited with coining it for their work. The form sits between a photograph and a film clip, and the compound name reflects that position.

Synonyms: animated image, video still, motion graphic, living photo, dynamic image