variants
or less commonly pixy
plural pixies
1
: fairy
specifically
: a cheerful mischievous sprite
2
: a usually petite vivacious woman or girl
3
or pixie cut
: a haircut worn by women and children that is very short all over the head or especially short only at the sides and back of the head
Princess Diana's pixie cut became completely iconic, and almost as famous as the princess herself, inspiring many generations since to try the elegant look.—
Isobel Larkin
Isobel Larkin
Did you know?
Is it pixelated or pixilated?
Pixelated is used to describe digital images in which individual pixels are discernable, as when you look closely at a large photo and can see the tiny dots that make up the image. Pixilated (coined from pixie, a pixie being a cheerful, mischievous sprite) is usually used to describe things considered whimsical, or people who seem dazed or lost in thought. While pixelated is a late 20th century coinage, pixilated has been in use since the mid-19th century.
Synonyms
Examples of pixie in a Sentence
Noun
leave a dish of milk and some bread out for the pixies
Adjective
resorted to some pixie high jinks to liven up the office party
Recent Examples on the Web
Marci Robin, Allure, 30 Oct. 2024
Posing for photos, Bailey wore an identical orange bikini and white knife belt, while sporting the older actress’ iconic pixie cut.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024
Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 30 Mar. 2023
The cute little 4-year-old boldly shouted when someone asked her where pixie dust comes from.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022
See all Example Sentences for pixie 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Noun
But what really seals the deal on making this costume one for the books is the pixie cut.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 30 Oct. 2024
Posing for photos, Bailey wore an identical orange bikini and white knife belt, while sporting the older actress’ iconic pixie cut.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
But in a new post added to Instagram, Mayim decided to make a more dramatic and permanent switch to her hairstyle by chopping it off into a semi-pixie cut.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 30 Mar. 2023
The cute little 4-year-old boldly shouted when someone asked her where pixie dust comes from.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022
See all Example Sentences for pixie
Dictionary Entries Near pixie
Cite this Entry
“Pixie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pixie. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share