a set of images consisting of a base image and a set of filtered, reduced-resolution images

Process to filter and speed up the display of textures.

Also known as MIP map (Latin: multium in parvo, translated "much in little"). A sequence of textures, each of which is a progressively lower-resolution, prefiltered representation of the same image. A higher-resolution image is used when a visible object is close to the viewer; as the object moves farther away (and gets smaller), lower-resolution images are used.

In 3 D computer graphics texture filtering, MIP maps (also mipmaps) are pre-calculated, optimized collections of bitmap images that accompany a main texture, intended to increase rendering speed and reduce artifacts. They are widely used in 3D computer games, flight simulators and other 3D imaging systems. The technique is known as mipmapping.