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 kaleidoscope of clashing patterns from fantastical florals, warped tartans, and Peruvian and pixelated textiles is essential to the Dries Van Noten DNA, while embracing knowledge of all cultures is the chicest way to live and dress. —Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026

The star of the GTI’s 50th-anniversary festivities is the GTI Roadster Vision Gran Turismo, a machine originally conceived in 2014 as a pixelated dream for the Polyphony Digital racing series. —Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 26 Feb. 2026

From the moment a pixelated Gengar and Nidorino faced off in the opening animation of the first Pokémon games on the original Game Boy back in 1996, the Pokémon franchise has been a perennial favorite of kids and adults alike. —Matt Kamen, Wired News, 25 Jan. 2026

Note the square, almost pixelated brushwork and earthy palette Schjerfbeck adopted from Bastien-Lepage, who taught at the academy where Schjerfbeck took classes. —Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026

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