1
2
a
: any of the shades of gray between the darkest and the lightest parts of a photographic image
b(1)
: a photoengraving made from an image photographed through a screen and then etched so that the details of the image are reproduced in dots
(2)
: an image (such as one printed on an offset press or laser printer) that renders smooth variations of color in an original by means of dots assigned to areas of the image electronically
halftone adjective

Examples of halftone in a Sentence

using software to lighten the picture's halftones
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The app also includes old-standby Photoshop tools like Adjustment layers, Curves, Spot Healing Brush, and the Text tool (complete with halftones and texture-filling). Michael Muchmore, PCMAG, 25 Feb. 2025 The perfection of halftone printing coincided with the rise of the Kodak and allowed for the mass circulation of images. Sohini Desai, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of halftone was in 1636

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Cite this Entry

“Halftone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halftone. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

halftone

noun
: a medium tint or tone in a painting, engraving, or photograph
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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