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cel
noun
A transparent sheet of celluloid or acetate on which a single frame of an animated film is drawn or painted, used in traditional hand-drawn animation production. Multiple cels are layered and photographed to create animated sequences.
Etymology
Origin: English
Root: celluloid (early plastic material) — "hide"
Example
"The Disney animator carefully painted Mickey Mouse on the cel before layering it over the background artwork."
Usage Notes
Cel is highly technical animation industry jargon, primarily used by animators, film historians, and collectors. Most common in discussions of traditional 2D animation versus modern digital techniques. The term carries nostalgic connotations as hand-drawn cel animation has largely been replaced by computer animation. Often appears in phrases like 'cel animation' or 'hand-painted cels.'