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)

… the number of pixels determines how sharp and realistic the image looks.

—Leslie Meredith

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

Yesteryear is narrated by a woman named Natalie Heller Mills, a Ballerina Farm facsimile who is pregnant with her sixth child at the beginning of the novel, and whose pixel-perfect online life as @YesteryearRanch is essentially all a lie. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026

There’s not much in the way of OLED maintenance, aside from a pixel refresh option. —Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 10 May 2026

Every song hits with the same indistinguishable gush of pleasant pixels. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026

As shopper attention spans tighten and the journey from discovery to checkout becomes increasingly fragmented, the brands and retailers that will stand out are those that view every pixel across a retailer’s website and app as valuable brand and commercial real estate. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 8 May 2026

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