pixel

pixel — noun

1. one tiny point on a digital screen that joins with others to make a picture

1.nounB2
Definition

one tiny point on a digital screen that joins with others to make a picture

Example

One dead pixel stayed black near the center of the laptop screen.

collocation: dead pixel

When Maya zoomed in, each pixel looked like a tiny square.

zoom in to see individual pixels

Common collocations
  • dead pixel
  • bright pixel
  • pixel count
  • pixel size
  • move something one pixel
Synonyms
  • dot

    more informal and visual; often used when the speaker is not being technical

  • picture element

    the full technical expression from which 'pixel' was formed

  • screen point

    a plain descriptive phrase, not the usual fixed technical term

Grammar Patterns

a dead pixel

count pixels

move something one pixel to the left

Usage Note

Often used with words for screen faults or quality, such as dead, bright, missing, and extra. In less technical speech, people may also talk about pixels in the plural when describing how sharp an image looks.

Common Mistakes

There is a dead resolution on my screen.
There is a dead pixel on my screen.
A pixel is one tiny picture point; resolution is the overall amount of detail.

Word family

  • pixelate
    verbC1
  • pixelated
    adjectiveB2
  • pixelation
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Pixel' is the normal word for one tiny unit in a digital picture. 'Picture element' is the full technical form and appears in formal writing, but most people do not say it in everyday speech. 'Dot' is looser and more visual, so people may use it when they simply notice a tiny point of light or color on a screen. A 'subpixel' is smaller than a pixel and usually means one red, green, or blue part inside it. 'Cell' is common for squares in a table, grid, or game board, so it only fits some visual systems and is not the usual screen term. A report may mention one dead pixel, but a child may simply point and say, 'I can see the little dots.'

pixel ↗dot ↗picture elementsubpixelcell ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dead pixel
  • bright pixel
  • pixel count
  • pixel density
  • pixel size

Phrases

  • move something one pixel
  • pixel by pixel
  • zoom in until you see the pixels

Etymology

English

The word 'pixel' was formed in technical English from 'pix', an informal short form of 'pictures', and 'element'. It originally meant one picture element: a single tiny part that helps build the whole image on a screen. As televisions, cameras, and computer displays became digital, the shorter blended form became the standard word.