dot matrix

Definition: Printer or display technology based colouring, marking or lighting LEDs on a fixed matrix measuring e.g. 5 dots x 7 dots. * In printers: different symbols created by laying down dots by impacting on a ribbon carrying black carbon or colour: a full matrix of dots would print a black rectangle, the dots down a column would print a vertical line and so on. * Largely obsolete except where impact printing is required e.g. in printing multi-part forms.

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