Is time-lapse a form of animation??

I've been proposed a question in class that I thought I knew the answer to. I was convinced time lapses are NOT animation! The difference between animation and time lapse is that people create animation. People draw each cell, they use computers to makes movies. Time lapse is reality, sped ups r slowed down. No one created anything other than an increase or decrease in the speed of time. In today's class, however, the professor talked about how the time-lapse morphs into something real. The sped up time shows the audience soothing they would have never seen before. It brings things to life.
At this point,  I realized that I have to figure out the definition of animation before I can conclude if time-lapse fits the definition or notch. If we are talking on the mechanical side, I believe time lapse is not animation because no one is looking between each frame. Between each frame in a time-laspe of a city, for example is a photo that we can see with our own eyes in the real world. If we are talking about the creative side, bringing things to life, I can see why people would argue that time lapse is a form of animation.