The term CEL CHARACTER refers to a type of animation used in the production of cartoons and other animated films. It involves drawing individual frames on transparent celluloid sheets, which are then photographed and combined to create the illusion of movement. This technique was popularized in the early 20th century and is still used today in some forms of animation. The crossword solution TOON is a shortened form of cartoon, which is a type of animation that uses this cel character technique.