anime

noun

an·​i·​me ˈa-nə-ˌmā How to pronounce anime (audio) ˈä-nē- How to pronounce anime (audio)
: a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes

Examples of anime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The full livestream is available below, but the ceremony also included music from Hiroyuki Sawano, who composed the score for the Gundam Unicorn anime, and vocals from SennaRin. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Sessions cover entertainment, games, anime, publishing, tabletop, licensing, consumer products, community, creators and the brands that want to reach those audiences. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 New York State Police say on Thursday, someone attending the anime convention was robbed of $600 cash. — Katie Houlis, CBS News, 22 Aug. 2026 Other big anime news out of Netflix’s presence at the convention included a new trailer for Bass X Machina, a Western-style limited series from Oscar nominee Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway). — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anime

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, animation, short for animēshiyon, from English

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anime was in 1985

Rhymes for anime

See All Rhymes for anime

Browse Nearby Words

animatronics
anime
Animikean
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Cite this Entry

“Anime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anime. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

anime

noun
an·​i·​me ˈan-ə-ˌmā How to pronounce anime (audio) ˈä-nē- How to pronounce anime (audio)
: a style of animation originating in Japan that has stark colorful graphics, action-filled plots, and often fantastic or futuristic themes
Etymology

from Japanese, literally, "animation," short for animēshiyon (from English)

More from Merriam-Webster on anime

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about anime

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