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

President Gustavo Petro of Colombia has shared pixelated footage on his social media account said to show bodies washed up on a beach on the country's Caribbean coast. —MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2025

The original game was a lot harder and arguably scarier Back in the PS1 days, games were not in high definition but were polygonal and pixelated. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025

Opened in 2016, the pixelated façade was carved into terraces, culminating in a rooftop with a 360 degree open space and where visitors can stand on a single sheet of glass to take in the panoramic view. —Christina Pantin, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2025

Thankfully, Tribute Games nailed not only the pixelated and colorful visuals, but also the more fluid and flexible combat system, all while taking heroes, villains, and otherworldly locations from all over Marvel's long history. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 Dec. 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