lossy

\ ˈlȯ-sē

Definition of lossy

1 : involving or causing some loss of data Lossy compression is a way of getting even smaller squeezed files than lossless. This technology strips out data it has been programmed to regard as either unnecessary or redundant.— Ron Goldberg The loss was literal: MP3 is what's called a "lossy" data-compression form of audio encoding; some audio information is demonstrably lost in the process.— Virginia Heffernan

2 : causing attenuation or dissipation of electrical energy a lossy transmission line a lossy dielectric

Examples of lossy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There are plenty of ways, from cutting out or freezing frames, messing with transparency, cutting the resolution, choosing a smaller color palette, or mixing a few different forms of visible and lossy compression techniques. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "The GIF Is Dead. Long Live the GIF.," 18 Aug. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lossy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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