pixelated

adjective

pix·​e·​lat·​ed ˈpik-sə-ˌlā-təd 

of an image

: displayed in such a manner that individual pixels are discernible

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 pixelated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Imagine those pixelated landscapes quiet and untraversed, all the NPCs forgotten and alone, languishing inside console hardware that’s long been sunsetted. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2025

Kids create pixelated designs by following patterns or designing their own, blending problem-solving with artistic fun. —Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 19 Dec. 2024

Cat and Andi are thrown together to work on the romance plotlines of a major video game release and love starts to bloom outside the pixelated world. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 2 Feb. 2025

Additionally, there’s a limit in terms of the full-Earth highly pixelated resolution that’s possible from space. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

pixel + -ated (after pixilated)

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pixelated

• abdicated
• abrogated
• acclimated
• activated
• actuated
• adumbrated
• advocated
• aggravated
• aggregated
• agitated
• allocated
• alternated