SVG
3 synonyms and 2 antonyms for SVG, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An image format that stores a picture as a set of shapes, lines and text described in code rather than as a grid of pixels, so it stays sharp at any size.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
scalable vector graphics
vector image
vector format
Antonyms
raster image
bitmap
How to use SVG
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
inline SVG
SVG icon
export as SVG
animate an SVG
Common in web design and development; less familiar to general users. Written in capitals.
Etymology
An initialism of Scalable Vector Graphics.
Full origin of SVG →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SVG and PNG?
A PNG is a grid of coloured pixels, so enlarging it past its native size makes it blurry or blocky. An SVG describes shapes mathematically, so it can be drawn at any size without losing sharpness. PNG suits photographs and complex images; SVG suits logos, icons and diagrams.
Can a photograph be saved as an SVG?
Not usefully. SVG describes shapes and paths, and a photograph is millions of individual pixel colours with no clean shapes to describe. A photograph can be embedded inside an SVG file, but that simply wraps the pixel image and gains none of the scaling benefit.
Why can an SVG be opened in a text editor?
Because an SVG file is written in XML, a text-based markup format. The file is readable code describing each shape, which is also why SVGs can be styled with CSS and changed by scripts on a web page.
