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CGI

American  
[see-jee-ahy] / ˈsiˈdʒiˈaɪ /
Or cgi

abbreviation

Computers.
  1. computer-generated images; computer-generated imagery: digitally created graphics used in movies and other visual media, often in the form of 3D animation: null CG

    The latest movie in the franchise uses more practical effects and less CGI than its predecessors.

  2. Common Gateway Interface: a protocol for instructing a server to execute a user-generated script on an interactive website, such as when a user enters a query using an online form and receives information retrieved from a database (often used attributively).

    CGI enhances the utility of a site by enabling user interaction.

    A CGI script allows users of the site to search for information on a particular local physician.


CGI British  

abbreviation

  1. computer-generated image or imagery

  2. common gateway interface

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of CGI

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

And if we’re being honest, DiCaprio may have earned an Oscar for his performance in “The Revenant,” but he does not have the biceps to take on that CGI grizzly.

From Salon Aug. 2, 2026

Parsons used a CGI programme called Blender to create environments beyond his budget.

From BBC May 29, 2026

The movie, which is still in early development, will feature the fanged monsters in a "live-action and CGI hybrid", Pop Mart said.

From Barron's Mar. 25, 2026

Back in 2018, Sony Pictures Animation dazzled the industry when “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” introduced an approach that mixed 3D CGI with traditional hand-drawn animation.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 12, 2026

Unix sysadmins, who are almost always incorrigible hackers, generally consider it one of the languages of choice, and it is by far the most widely used tool for making `live' web pages via CGI.

From The Jargon File, Version 4.2.2, 20 Aug 2000 by Guy L. Steele

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