English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

pixel +‎ -ate

Verb edit

pixelate (third-person singular simple present pixelates, present participle pixelating, simple past and past participle pixelated)

  1. To divide an image into pixels, or to display an image in pixels.
    • 2009 August 19, Andreas Kokkino, “Best in Show”, in New York Times[1]:
      In a fittingly modern use of mosaic tile, Tord Boontje pixelates his signature floral designs in a new collection of storage furniture for Bisazza Home.
    • 2011, Rick Sammon, Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 26:
      I could have used the camera's digital zoom, but digital zooms tend to soften and pixelate an image.
  2. To transform an image (or a portion thereof) into large pixels, especially in order to hide details.
    Synonym: blur
    • 2005 January 18, Dominic Timms, “Fearful US TV networks censor more shows”, in The Guardian[2]:
      Fox TV has decided to pixelate a bare derriere in a cartoon series, The Family Guy, which was originally broadcast five years ago with no complaints.
    • 2017 August 25, Mark Sweney, “Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis settle legal dispute with Mail Online”, in The Guardian[3]:
      Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have reached a settlement with Mail Online that includes an agreement to pixelate photos of their children.

Usage notes edit

  • Be careful not to confuse the simple past and past participle, pixelated, with the completely unrelated term pixilated.

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

Spanish edit

Verb edit

pixelate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of pixelar combined with te