animate

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
animate

▶verb /ˈanɪmeɪt/ 

• 1 give life or vigour to.

• 2 give (a film or character) the appearance of movement using animation techniques.

▶adjective /ˈanɪmət/ alive or having life.

– derivatives
animator noun.

– origin ME: from L. animat-, animare, from anima ‘life, soul’.