widget

noun

wid·​get ˈwi-jət 

1

: gadget

2

: an unnamed article considered for purposes of hypothetical example

3

: a small software application that is designed to provide a specific piece of information (such as news, weather, or traffic updates) or a specific function (such as taking notes or controlling another application) on demand

This resource allows anglers to see what advisories are in effect in specific waterways … . The web page is optimized for mobile devices, with a widget that allows users to zoom to their exact location on the map with the press of a button.

—Chris Knauss

A widget might show you the weather forecast, or the latest baseball scores. There are widgets that show photographs you've stored online, or that cull images from the Daily Puppy Web site.

—Rob Walker

Synonyms

• appliance
• contraption
• contrivance
• gadget
• gimmick
• gizmo
• gismo
• jigger

Examples of widget in a Sentence

manufacturers of all kinds of widgets for the do-it-yourselfer

Recent Examples on the Web

This shortcut also appeared on Google's Android search widget, and a conversation history button was added to the Google app. —Ars Technica, 20 Dec. 2024

In June, the dermatologist sued the widget provider in an attempt to recoup its losses. —Nayan Padrai, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

The inspiration for the new widget came from Rahul Janardhanan, an artist who earlier this year designed and shared a collection of 10 concepts for potential Nothing OS widgets. —Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 4 Dec. 2024

The home screen shows a control panel of large widget tiles by default, with rotating full-screen content behind it. —PCMAG, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of gadget

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1