variants
or less commonly cell
: a transparent sheet of celluloid on which objects are drawn or painted in the making of animated cartoons
Examples of cel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From original artwork and theme park artifacts to rare comics and animation cels, the auction includes hundreds of items spanning the company's legacy.
—
Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The three features feel like they’re best considered when layered on top of one another, like transparent cels that only add up to a whole image in combination, and that play as incomplete fragments when looked at alone.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 June 2024
Club 33 is an exclusive dining venue, which is furnished with props from Disney films, original animation cels, and art nouveau design features.
—Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 10 Sep. 2024
There are elements on backgrounds that are drawn as cels, the transparent sheets on which animators draw movable objects.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cel
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.
Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The three features feel like they’re best considered when layered on top of one another, like transparent cels that only add up to a whole image in combination, and that play as incomplete fragments when looked at alone.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 June 2024
Club 33 is an exclusive dining venue, which is furnished with props from Disney films, original animation cels, and art nouveau design features.
—Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 10 Sep. 2024
There are elements on backgrounds that are drawn as cels, the transparent sheets on which animators draw movable objects.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cel
Cite this Entry
“Cel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cel. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share