keyframe

K5E1Y4F4R1A1M3E1
US/ˈkiˌfɹeɪm/

noun

A single frame in an animation sequence drawn by an artist, between which others are tweened.

Similar
reference frameintraframe
UncommonScrabble 20
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Meanings

nounkeyframe (plural keyframes)

plural keyframes · alternative key frame

  1. A single frame in an animation sequence drawn by an artist, between which others are tweened.

    Lightning is a very quick and simple animation technique that can easily be overanimated. Don't try and animate the lightning bolt into the frame by building it up over a sequence of keyframes.

    2013, Chris Georgenes, How to Cheat in Adobe Flash CS6: The Art of Design and Animation
  2. computer graphicsA complete video frame, used as a reference for subsequent interframes in video compression.

    Synonyms: reference frame, intraframe

verbkeyframe (third-person singular simple present keyframes, present participle keyframing, simple past and past participle keyframed)

present singular third person keyframes · participle present keyframing · participle past keyframed · past keyframed · alternative key frame

  1. To animate by interpolation between successive keyframes.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA complete video frame, used as a reference for subsequent interframes in video compression.

Similar
reference frameintraframe

Origin

From key + frame.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 鍵架 /键架, 關鍵格 /关键格
  • 鍵架 /键架 (jiànjià)a single frame in an animation
  • 關鍵格 /关键格 (guānjiàngé)complete frame used as a reference for interframes
  • 鍵架 /键架 (jiànjià)complete frame used as a reference for interframes
Finnish avainpiirros, avainkehys
  • avainpiirrosa single frame in an animation
  • avainkehysa single frame in an animation
  • avainkuvacomplete frame used as a reference for interframes
  • avainruutucomplete frame used as a reference for interframes
French image clé, image clé
  • image cléa single frame in an animation
  • image clécomplete frame used as a reference for interframes
German Keyframe, Schlüsselbild
  • Keyframea single frame in an animation
  • Schlüsselbildcomplete frame used as a reference for interframes
  • Keyframecomplete frame used as a reference for interframes
Japanese 原画, キーフレーム
  • 原画 (genga)a single frame in an animation
  • キーフレーム (kīfurēmu)complete frame used as a reference for interframes
Portuguese quadro-chave, fotograma-chave
  • quadro-chavea single frame in an animation
  • fotograma-chavea single frame in an animation
  • quadro-chavecomplete frame used as a reference for interframes
Cite this entry
APA

keyframe. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keyframe

MLA

“keyframe.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keyframe. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keyframe,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keyframe.

Source: keyframe on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.