An abbreviation for 'frames per second,' a measurement of how many individual images flash on a screen each second in video and animation.
Modern acronym from 'frames' (from Old French 'frame' meaning to construct) and 'per second' (from Latin 'secundus'). Developed with cinema and digital video technology in the 20th century.
Movies run at 24 fps while video games aim for 60+ fps—this tiny number determines whether motion looks smooth or jittery, which is why gamers obsess over frame rates as much as athletes obsess over reflexes.
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