: of, relating to, or constituting a motion picture made so that when projected a slow action (such as the opening of a flower bud) appears to be speeded up

Examples of time-lapse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Its smooth movement is especially helpful for time-lapse videos. Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024 Images of the giant red storm, captured over 90 days from December 2023 to March 2024 by the Hubble Space Telescope, were compiled and aligned into a time-lapse that shows the storm's elliptical shape oscillating and jiggling. Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024 In an era of drone surveys and time-lapse camera readouts of forest growth, the shoe-leather study has endured as a rare and vital long-term look at how seasonal biological phenomena change over time. Benjamin Cassidy, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024 These observations were taken with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope over 90 days between December 2023 to March 2024 and allowed astronomers to assemble time-lapse footage of GRS’ wobbly behavior. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for time-lapse 

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of time-lapse was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near time-lapse

Cite this Entry

“Time-lapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time-lapse. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!