pixel

noun

pix·​el ˈpik-səl How to pronounce pixel (audio)
-ˌsel
plural pixels
1
: any of the small discrete elements that together constitute an image (as on a television or digital screen)
If the ball is flying from left to right across a video screen, a pixel at one fixed location on the screen will get darker and darker as time ticks on because it depicts points farther and farther to the left on the ball.Frédo Durand et al.
2
: any of the detecting elements of a solid-state optical sensor (such as a CCD or CMOS device)
The team used a new CCD detector that has an 8,192 by 8,192 pixel array, which makes it the world's largest astronomical CCD.Astronomy
the … CMOS image sensor provides a 9-µm pixel size …Mathew Dirjish

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Is it pixelated or pixilated?

Pixelated is used to describe digital images in which individual pixels are discernable, as when you look closely at a large photo and can see the tiny dots that make up the image. Pixilated (coined from pixie, a pixie being a cheerful, mischievous sprite) is usually used to describe things considered whimsical, or people who seem dazed or lost in thought. While pixelated is a late 20th century coinage, pixilated has been in use since the mid-19th century.

Examples of pixel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Images from the war in Ukraine, for example, have been analyzed pixel by pixel for evidence of potential misinformation. Karla Adam, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 The large megapixel count allows Honor to use pixel-binning technology, with 16 pixels considered before the software decides on a value for one pixel passed down the image processing chain. Ewan Spence, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Somewhere in the linkage between the tap of my finger and the responding pixel on—screen, an algorithm has registered my preference for a morning routine. TIME, 8 Feb. 2024 Digital watermarks are embedded into the pixels of the image when it's created. Emily Dreibelbis, PCMAG, 1 Feb. 2024 Those focusing pixels could not record image data, so there was always a trade-off between autofocusing ability and image quality. IEEE Spectrum, 19 Jan. 2024 My second phone's a pixel for all my shady activity. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024 Those additional pixels make bigger displays look better without degradation of the imagery. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 The network then predicts the fluorescence signal at each pixel to generate a map of the elemental composition in the image. IEEE Spectrum, 11 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pixel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

pix + element

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pixel was in 1965

Dictionary Entries Near pixel

Cite this Entry

“Pixel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pixel. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pixel

noun
pix·​el ˈpik-səl How to pronounce pixel (audio)
-ˌsel
: any of the small elements that together make up an image (as on a television screen) or sensor (as in a camera)
Etymology

from pix, an altered form of pictures, and element

More from Merriam-Webster on pixel

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