PIXEL

PIK-sel

Noun5 lettersValid in our Scrabble word list
Unscramble PIXEL

Quick definition

PIXEL The smallest unit of a digital image or display; a single point in a raster image.

Is PIXEL a valid Scrabble word?

Yes. PIXEL is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 14 points in Scrabble, 16 in Words With Friends and 15 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.

LetterPIXELTotal
Scrabble3181114
Words With Friends4181216
Wordfeud4181115

Definition and meaning

A pixel (short for 'picture element') is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. Each pixel represents a single point that can display a specific color, and millions of pixels combine to create the images we see on screens.

In digital imaging, pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional grid. The resolution of an image or display is measured in pixels (e.g., 1920x1080), with higher pixel counts generally producing sharper, more detailed images. Each pixel's color is typically defined by combinations of red, green, and blue values.

For Scrabble players, PIXEL offers a modern 5-letter word with the valuable X. As technology terminology has entered mainstream dictionaries, words like PIXEL have become valid plays, reflecting how language evolves with technology.

PIXEL in a sentence

  • Modern smartphones have cameras with millions of pixels for sharp photos.
  • The retro video game used large pixels to create its distinctive 8-bit aesthetic.
  • PIXEL provided a perfect play using the existing P and L on the board.

Synonyms

  • DOTDisplay point (informal)
  • POINTSingle location
  • PELAbbreviated form

Antonyms

  • VECTORResolution-independent graphics
  • ANALOGContinuous rather than discrete

Word forms

  • Plural Form: pixels

Origin

The word 'pixel' was coined in 1965 by Fred C. Billingsley at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It's a portmanteau of 'picture' (abbreviated as 'pix') and 'element.' The term emerged as digital imaging technology developed for space exploration and computer graphics.

Anagrams, hooks and words inside PIXEL

Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of PIXEL.

Hooks: no front hooks; back PIXELS.

Words inside PIXEL: 17 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: PLEXPIXILEXLEXEXXILIPEPILEPLIELIPPIEPE. See all words from PIXEL.

Related words

Did you know?

  • The first digital photograph was only 176×176 pixels, taken in 1957.
  • A single pixel on early displays could cost over $1 to manufacture.
  • The human eye can distinguish about 10 million different colors per pixel.

Related Word Tools