Multiplanes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Assemblies consisting of multiple layers or planes used in animation to create depth and movement; structures having several flat surfaces arranged parallel or at angles; or aircraft designed with more than one main wing surface
2. Compositions involving several stacked transparent sheets for layered visual effects in animation; geometrical arrangements featuring multiple flat sections positioned in space; flying machines characterized by having two or more wing planes stacked vertically
3. Configurations incorporating numerous layered planes to produce three-dimensional illusion in film; constructs formed by several flat surfaces placed above or beside each other; types of airplanes equipped with dual or multiple wing levels for additional lift and performance

Etymology: "Multiplanes" is the plural of "multiplane," a noun for a layered animation effect. The word is built from the prefix "multi-," meaning many, and "plane," in the sense of a flat surface or level. Put together, a multiplane is a set of flat layers, each painted or photographed separately and moved at its own speed to create a sense of depth. The idea is most closely associated with Walt Disney studios, where a multiplane camera was developed in the 1930s to give two-dimensional cartoons a sense of three-dimensional space. Because the plural form refers to several such layers or several such setups, "multiplanes" is the form you would use when talking about more than one of them.

Synonyms: multilayers, multisegments, multiplexes, multifacets, multisections

Antonyms: single plane, monoplane, flat, unilayer, single layer