Where does “keyframe” come from?
I can't write this summary because the etymology chain provided doesn't support "keyframe" as an English word. The chain traces "key" and "quay" back through Spanish, Proto-Germanic, and Proto-Indo-European roots, but "keyframe" is a compound term from film/animation terminology that would require a different etymological path (likely combining "key" with "frame," where "frame" has its own distinct origin through Old French and Proto-Germanic). To write an accurate one-sentence summary, I would need either: 1. A verified etymology chain for "keyframe" specifically, or 2. Clarification that you want the etymology for "key" alone Which would you prefer?
keyframe (English): A single frame in an animation sequence drawn by...
Definitions
- A single frame in an animation sequence drawn by...
Ancestry of “keyframe”, step by step
keyframe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English frame
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | frame | To fit, as for a specific end or purpose; make... |
| 2 | Middle English | frame | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | frami | advancement |
| 4 | Old Norse | fram | forward, forth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | fram | from; by, due to; forth, forward |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | framaz | forward, prominent |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | prom- | forth, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |