 The word "pixel" is a portmanteau of "pix" (from "pictures", shortened to "pics") and "el" (for ""element""); similar formations with '"el"' include the words "voxel" and "texel".The word "pix" appeared in "Variety" magazine headlines in 1932, as an abbreviation for the word "pictures", in reference to movies.By 1938, "pix" was being used in reference to still pictures by photojournalists.