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

The cameras in the glasses appear to be the same as those in the non-display Meta Ray-Bans, with a 12MP resolution capable of capturing photos at 3,024 by 4,023 pixels and video at 1,440 by 1,920 pixels at 30 frames per second. —PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025

Based on Xiaohongshu’s internal data from September 2024, Gen Z uploads 7 million fresh notes and 60 million micro-moments every day — each one a pixel of authentic life. —Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025

To affordably resolve the vast space between the Sun and the planets, researchers divide the space into large cubes – analogous to two-dimensional pixels in a camera. —Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025

To confirm the match, the team carefully aligned the Hubble and JWST images using 36 stars visible in both datasets as reference points, ensuring that every pixel corresponded to the same spot in the sky, the study noted. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 Oct. 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