bitmap

[bit-map] /ˈbɪtˌmæp/
noun
1.
a piece of text, a drawing, etc., represented, as on a computer display, by the activation of certain dots in a rectangular matrix of dots.
Also, bit map.
Related forms
bitmapped, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for bitmap

bitmap

/ˈbɪtˌmæp/
noun (computing)
1.
a picture created on a visual display unit where each pixel corresponds to one or more bits in memory, the number of bits per pixel determining the number of available colours
verb -maps, -mapping, -mapped
2.
(transitive) to create a bitmap of
Contemporary definitions for bitmap
noun

See raster image

Word Origin and History for bitmap
n.

1973, in computer jargon, from bit (n.2) + map. Literally, a map of bits.

bitmap in Science
bitmap
  (bĭt'māp')   
Computer Science
A set of bits that represents a graphic image. Each bit or group of bits corresponds to a pixel in the image. Optical scanners and fax machines convert text or pictures into bitmaps.
bitmap in Technology

graphics, file format
A data file or structure which corresponds bit for bit with an image displayed on a screen, probably in the same format as it would be stored in the display's video memory or maybe as a device independent bitmap. A bitmap is characterised by the width and height of the image in pixels and the number of bits per pixel which determines the number of shades of grey or colours it can represent. A bitmap representing a coloured image (a "pixmap") will usually have pixels with between one and eight bits for each of the red, green, and blue components, though other colour encodings are also used. The green component sometimes has more bits that the other two to cater for the human eye's greater discrimination in this component.
See also vector graphics, image formats.
(1996-09-21)