macroblock

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noun

A block of adjacent pixels, typically a rectangular 16×16 block

OriginEnglish block ← French macro- ← Ancient Greek μᾰκρός (măkrós) →
UncommonScrabble 22
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Meanings

nounmacroblock (plural macroblocks)

plural macroblocks

  1. video compressioncomputingA block of adjacent pixels, typically a rectangular 16×16 block
  2. archaeologyAn area of a dig where there are multiple adjacent block excavations

    In 1975 the macroblock area was stepped back so that a smaller block excavation could extend below Horizon 8.

    2003, David L. Carlson, “Figuring Out "What Happened in the Middle Archaic?"”, in Theory, Method, and Practice in Modern Archaeology, →ISBN, page 78

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*meh₂ḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*mh₂ḱrós
  3. Proto-Hellenic*makrós
  4. Ancient Greekμᾰκρός (măkrós)
  5. Frenchmacro-
  6. Englishmacro-
  7. Englishblock
  8. Englishmacroblock

From macro- + block.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French macrobloc
  • macroblocblock of adjacent pixels
German Macroblock
  • Macroblockblock of adjacent pixels
Korean 매크로 블록
  • 매크로 블록 (maekeuro beullok)block of adjacent pixels
Cite this entry
APA

macroblock. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macroblock

MLA

“macroblock.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macroblock. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “macroblock,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macroblock.

Source: macroblock on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.