anamorphic

The dictionary definition of anamorphic is "affected by distorted projection or perspective". The most common use of the word anamorphic is to describe the type of picture necessary for transmission on the digital widescreen services.  This is called "full height anamorphic", it has normal perspective when it is seen filling a widescreen television.

If the same picture is seen on a standard 4x3 television then it appears distorted - the people in the picture are taller and thinner than they should be and the sides seem to be squashed in.

In feature films anamorphic lenses are sometimes used to enable shooting of wide screen formats such as Cinemascope.