pixel

noun

pix·​el ˈpik-səl 

-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

Did you know?

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

In the early days of digital design, graphic editors often saved artwork in BMP format—a file that perfectly preserved every pixel. —Victor Shilo, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

Despite the minor difference in the number of pixels, Apple says both have the same density of 460 pixels per inch for essentially the same viewing experience. —PCMAG, 20 Feb. 2025

The shift from print to pixels makes Holman, 78, wince. —Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025

But each molecule could take on one of six different configurations, like a pixel that can be either red, green, blue, yellow, orange or purple. —Quanta Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

pix + element

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pixel

noun

pix·​el ˈpik-səl 

-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