Mipmaps (also MIP maps) or pyramids are pre-calculated, optimized sequences of images, each of which is a progressively lower resolution representation of the previous. The height and width of each image, or level, in the mipmap is a factor of two smaller than the previous level. They are intended to increase rendering speed and reduce aliasing artifacts. The letters MIP in the name are an acronym of the Latin phrase multum in parvo, meaning "much in little".