'animize' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'anima', where 'anima' meant 'breath, life, soul', combined with the English suffix '-ize' (from Greek '-izein' via Old French/Middle English) meaning 'to make or to do'.

'anima' passed into Late Latin and Old French; the productive English suffix '-ize' entered English from French and Greek formations, and the modern coinage 'animize' was formed in English by combining 'anima'+'-ize' to mean 'to make alive' (Modern English formation).

Initially related to 'breath' or 'soul' in Latin, the combination later produced a verb meaning 'to give life or spirit to' and this has remained the core sense in modern usage.