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

The cast was confirmed in a Sept. 4 social media post sharing the project's first poster, which arrays the ensemble with pixelated photos that evoke the game's 16-bit origins. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025

Lego Super Mario Deal Yeah, it's-a our favorite pixelated plumber straight out of Super Mario World. —John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025

May transformed the branches into pixelated limbs, and the strings of squares woven around the tree tell a story about humanity's relationship with nature and technology. —Ruby Grisin, The Courier-Journal, 15 Aug. 2025

Another guest arrived wearing a mask of a pixelated ant, but his crypto company’s X account posted videos of him in the mask, so his getup was more of a publicity stunt than an attempt at disguise. —David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025

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