# Pixel: what it is and how it works · Zorraquino
> A pixel is the smallest unit of a digital image or display, a single point assigned one colour.
URL: https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/pixel.html

# Pixel

A pixel is the smallest unit of a digital image or display, a single point assigned one colour

What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.

[The whole glossary](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary)

## What it is and how it works

The word comes from “picture element”, shortened to “pixel”. A bitmap image is a grid of pixels: the more it has, the more detail it can show. The resolution of a screen or photo is expressed in pixels, for example 1920 × 1080, and density in pixels per inch.

In interface design it is important to distinguish physical screen pixels from logical units, such as Apple’s points or Android’s dp, which scale with density. In marketing, “pixel” also refers to a small piece of tracking code, such as the Meta pixel, which is a different concept.

Topics

[Technology and data](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/category/tecnologia-y-datos)

## Related concepts

- [Pixel density](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/ux/pixel-density.html)
- [Density-independent pixels (dp)](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/ux/dips-or-dp.html)
- [Points (pt)](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/points-or-pts.html)