raster

[ras-ter] /ˈræs tər/
noun
1.
Television. a pattern of scanning lines covering the area upon which the image is projected in the cathode-ray tube of a television set.
2.
Computers. a set of horizontal lines composed of individual pixels, used to form an image on a CRT or other screen.
Origin
1950-55; < German < Latin rāstrum toothed hoe, rake, derivative of rādere to scratch, scrape
Examples from the web for raster
  • He then sends this to a shop that raster image processes-or rips-it into bits that are painted onto a film with a laser.
  • raster, in the story, also supplies some of the comedy.
  • Illustrator works well for generating vector art, but it's a pain for use with raster images such as photos.
  • The raster image resource returns a composite image for a single raster catalog item.
  • In raster format, a grid is used to represent the study area.
  • The raster data format is well suited for representing the natural environment.
British Dictionary definitions for raster

raster

/ˈræstə/
noun
1.
a pattern of horizontal scanning lines traced by an electron beam, esp on a television screen
verb
2.
to use web-based technology to turn a digital image into a large picture composed of a grid of black and white dots
Word Origin
C20: via German from Latin: rake, from rādere to scrape
Word Origin and History for raster
n.

1934 in electrical engineering, from German Raster "screen, frame," from Latin rastrum "rake," from rasum, from rodere "to scrape" (see raze). Related: Rasterization; rasterize. From Latin form rastellum comes French râteau "rake," formerly ratel, originally rastel.

raster in Technology

hardware
The area of a video display that is covered by sweeping the electron beam of the display in a series of horizontal lines from top to bottom. The beam then returns to the top during the vertical flyback interval.
See also CRT, frame buffer.
(1995-03-22)