A transparent plastic material made from cellulose that was used to make early film for movies and cameras.
From 'cellulose' (plant fiber) plus '-oid' (like/resembling). The material was invented in the 1870s as a substitute for ivory in billiard balls.
Before digital cameras, all movies and photographs were recorded on celluloid film—but celluloid is actually flammable and breaks down over time, which is why old movies are now being transferred to digital formats to preserve them. A single frame of 35mm film is about the size of your pinky fingernail!
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