picture element
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The smallest discrete component of a digital image: A "picture element" is the smallest individual, addressable unit that makes up a digital image or a display on a screen. It is the fundamental building block from which a complete picture is formed.
Usage
- The term "picture element" is the formal, technical name for what is more commonly known as a pixel. It is used in technical documentation, computer science, and imaging science to describe the basic unit of a raster image.
- The quality and detail of a digital image are directly related to the number of picture elements it contains.
Examples
- Noun:
- Each picture element on the monitor can display a specific color and intensity.
- The scanner's resolution is defined by how many picture elements it can capture per inch.
- A high-definition image is composed of millions of individual picture elements.
Advanced Usage
- "Pixel density": Refers to the concentration of picture elements (pixels) in a given area, typically measured in pixels per inch (PPI). Higher pixel density generally results in a sharper, clearer image.
- Modern smartphones have very high pixel density, making text and images appear extremely sharp.
Variants and Related Words
- Pixel (n): The universally common abbreviation and synonym for "picture element."
- The icon is only 32 pixels wide.
- Pel (n): A less common historical abbreviation for "picture element."
- Voxel (n): A volumetric picture element; the three-dimensional equivalent of a pixel, used in 3D imaging and graphics.
- The MRI scan data is represented as a grid of voxels.
Synonyms
- Pixel: The standard synonym.
- Image point: A less common descriptive synonym.
- Dot: A more general term, often used in the context of printing (e.g., dots per inch, DPI), but can colloquially refer to a picture element on a screen.
Related Phrases
- Pixelated (adj): Describes an image where individual picture elements are visibly large and blocky, often due to low resolution or excessive enlargement.
- The old video game graphics look very pixelated on a modern screen.
- Megapixel (n): A unit equal to one million picture elements, used to describe the resolution of digital cameras.
- The camera has a 12-megapixel sensor.
Noun
- (computer science) the smallest discrete component of an image or picture on a CRT screen (usually a colored dot)
- the greater the number of pixels per inch the greater the resolution