widget
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (2)
- something unspecified whose name is either forgotten or not known“she eased the ball-shaped doodad back into its socket”“there may be some great new gizmo around the corner that you will want to use”Synonyms: doodaddoohickeydoojiggergimmickgizmogismogubbinsthingamabobthingumabobthingmabobthingamajigthingumajigthingmajigthingummywhatchamacallitwhatchamacallumwhatsis
- a device or control that is very useful for a particular jobSynonyms: appliancecontraptioncontrivanceconveniencegadgetgizmogismo
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
1.<jargon> A placeholder term used to stand for a real object in didactic examples (especially database tutorials). Legend has it that the original widgets were holders for buggy whips. "But suppose the parts list for a widget has 52 entries..."
2.In a graphical user interface, a combination of a graphic symbol and some program code to perform a specific function. E.g. a scroll-bar or button. [possibly evoking "window gadget"] Windowing systems usually provide widget libraries containing commonly used widgets drawn in a certain style and with consistent behaviour.
In Microsoft Windows GUI programming, these are generally known as "controls". [Jargon File]
The Jargon File
1.A meta-thing. Used to stand for a real object in didactic examples (especially database tutorials). Legend has it that the original widgets were holders for buggy whips. “But suppose the parts list for a widget has 52 entries....”
2.[poss.: evoking ‘window gadget’] A user interface object in X graphical user interfaces.