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

So, when the Artemis 2 livestream transmitted a pixelated view of Orion's separation from its European service module on April 10 and put the spacecraft's heat shield on full display, people marveled at the surprisingly reflective surface mated to the capsule's broad side. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 May 2026

Speaking from personal experience, there’s something intrinsically intimidating about being silently judged by an accomplished HR representative over a pixelated Zoom call. —Ben Ambridge, JSTOR Daily, 15 May 2026

Claims that Boyd is nothing more than a pixelated aspiring politician began gaining traction after voters had trouble finding much of a digital footprint for the candidate and a headshot used in his campaign material struck some as bearing the hallmarks of artificial intelligence. —Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

Stars litter the interior as well, whether embossed, embroidered, embedded, or pixelated. —Brett Berk, Robb Report, 15 May 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