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

Another guest arrived wearing a mask of a pixelated ant, but his crypto company’s X account posted videos of him in the mask, so his getup was more of a publicity stunt than an attempt at disguise. —David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025

Those resources also power the factories that crank out defensive units that automatically fight to protect your castle from periodic waves of enemies (in adorable pixelated animations that take place on a battlefield to the right of your castle). —Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025

There’s definitely a lot of meat on these pixelated bones. —David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

At first glance, the pixelated 3-D world of Proteus looks a lot like Minecraft. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 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