noun

SVG

ess-vee-JEE

SVG (noun) means 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. Example: “The icons are all SVGs, so they look crisp on a phone and on a huge monitor alike.”

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.

"The icons are all SVGs, so they look crisp on a phone and on a huge monitor alike."

"Ask the designer for the logo as an SVG as well as a PNG."

An individual image saved in that format.

"That SVG is only four kilobytes."

How to Use SVG

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn image built from shapes instead of dots, so it never goes blurry when you make it bigger.

When to use it

Common in web design and development; less familiar to general users. Written in capitals.

Memory tip

SVG is spelled out letter by letter. The plural is SVGs, with no apostrophe.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

PNG → EPS → AI file PDF →

Common pairings

inline SVG SVG icon export as SVG animate an SVG

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Test yourself on “SVG” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The icons are all _____, so they look crisp on a phone and on a huge monitor alike.

Etymology

An initialism of Scalable Vector Graphics.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

scalable vector graphics vector image vector format

Antonyms

raster image bitmap

Related Words

BMP

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.

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