vector image
compound.compound. a type of digital picture that stays sharp and clear even when you make it much larger. It uses mathematical paths instead of tiny dots to create shapes and lines.
compound. a digital graphic composed of paths defined by mathematical equations rather than a fixed grid of pixels. This allows for infinite scalability without loss of resolution or clarity.
The designer created the company logo as a vector image.
Because the billboard required such a large print, the marketing team requested the original vector image to avoid any blurriness.
Unlike raster files which suffer from pixelation when enlarged, a vector image maintains crisp geometric edges because the software recalculates the mathematical coordinates at any scale.
A compound of vector, derived from the Latin vector meaning carrier, and image, from the Latin imago. The term reflects the mathematical use of vectors to determine the magnitude and direction of the paths that constitute the graphic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often contrasted with 'raster image' or 'bitmap'.
Last updated July 22, 2026