adjective

HD

aych-DEE

HD (adjective) means describing video, screens or images with a much higher pixel resolution than the older standard, giving a sharper and more detailed picture. Example: “The match is only being shown in HD on the paid channel.”

adjective

Describing video, screens or images with a much higher pixel resolution than the older standard, giving a sharper and more detailed picture.

"The match is only being shown in HD on the paid channel."

"I finally replaced the old set with a proper HD TV."

informal Used loosely of anything that is unusually clear, crisp or vivid.

"The dream was in HD, right down to the stitching on his coat."

noun

High definition itself, as a picture standard or broadcast format.

"Everything looks washed out until you switch it to HD."

How to Use HD

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA sharp, detailed picture quality on a screen.

When to use it

Neutral in everyday and commercial use; now slightly dated as a selling point, since 4K has become the premium label.

Memory tip

Used before a noun HD needs no hyphen (HD video), but the spelled-out form does: high-definition video.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

SD 4K UHD

Common pairings

in HD HD video HD stream HD quality

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The match is only being shown in _____ on the paid channel.

Etymology

An abbreviation of high definition.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

high-definition high-res

Antonyms

SD standard-definition

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between HD and Full HD?

HD normally means 1280x720 pixels, often labelled 720p. Full HD means 1920x1080, or 1080p, which has roughly twice as many pixels and a noticeably sharper image. Both are lower resolution than 4K, which is about four times Full HD.

Does HD ever mean something else?

Yes, in narrower contexts. In medicine HD can stand for Huntington's disease or haemodialysis, and in computing it sometimes means hard disk. But in everyday use it almost always means high definition.