zoetrope

[ zoh-ee-trohp ]

noun

1. a device for giving an illusion of motion, consisting of a slitted drum that, when whirled, shows a succession of images placed opposite the slits within the drum as one moving image.

zoetrope

/ ˈzəʊɪˌtrəʊp /

noun

1. a cylinder-shaped toy with a sequence of pictures on its inner surface which, when viewed through the vertical slits spaced regularly around it while the toy is rotated, produce an illusion of animation

Word History and Origins

Origin of zoetrope¹

1865–70; irregular < Greek zōḗ life + tropḗ turn

Word History and Origins

Origin of zoetrope¹

C19: Greek zoe life + trope turn

Example Sentences

After Lucy Fisher became head of production for Francis Coppola's Zoetrope Studios, he could barely contain his envy.

From The Daily Beast

Avenues of poplars on both sides of the road chased each other like the figures in a zoetrope.

From Project Gutenberg

If they happened to pass on a bicycle it was the merest zoetrope-flicker and they were gone.

From Project Gutenberg

With the discovery of instantaneous photography, a new application of the principle of the zoetrope was found.

From Project Gutenberg

My zoetrope thus worked off itself, and piled up Karma for all the village whether anyone happened to be looking at it or not.

From Project Gutenberg

The zoetrope, or Wheel of Life, which appeared first in 1860, is a modification of the same idea.

From Project Gutenberg