English Explanatory Dictionary

widget

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A placeholder name for an unnamed, unspecified, or hypothetical manufactured good or product, typically as an example for purposes of explaining concepts.
  2. A floating device inside a beer can, meant to create foam when opened.
  3. A small scraping tool consisting of a blade and a handle, commonly used to remove paint from glass and other smooth surfaces.
  4. Synonym of tool, implement, device, gadget, part.
noun
  1. Any one of the components of a computer application's graphical user interface, such as a Cancel button or text input box that a user interacts with.
  2. A small applet that can be placed on the desktop or in a sidebar, etc.

Pronunciation

/ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/ en-us-widget.ogg

Word forms

widget widgets

Etymology

Coined by American playwright George S. Kaufman in 1924 in his play Beggar on Horseback (1924). The preface to the 1924 play credits an earlier German work from 1911 https://digital.ulb.hhu.de/download/pdf/5670231.pdf where there is an actor Elisabeth Wigge.

Synonyms

thingy gizmo sprocket Sorted by number of Google hits widget hickey gimmick thingie jigger gismo gubbins whatsit thingamajig doodad whatchamacallit doohickey thingo thingamabob thingummy whatsis thingumajig thingumabob whatchacallit Sorted alphabetically affair bazinga bizzo dealie dealy dinglehopper dingus dohickey dojigger dongle doo-hickey doober doodah doofer doohickus doohinkey doohinkus doojigger doovalacky foobar foo frammis frobnitz gadget geegaw gewgaw gingambob gingumbob hodad hootenanny jawn jimbang jobber jobby joint junk

Derived words

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