home screen

noun

1
: television sense 2
… it's the kind of movie that plays better on the home screen, where you're less likely to miss any of the fiendishly witty lines of the screenplay … and can replay some of the stunning special effects.Molly Haskell
TV viewers soon may be seeing some of their black-and-white film favorites blushing with new color on the home screen.Ron Miller
2
: the graphical user interface that is displayed by default by an electronic device (such as a smartphone or computer) or software application and that provides quick access to commonly used functions, settings, etc.
[Journalist Catherine] Price's suggestions range from the extreme, such as a "digital sabbath" during which you turn your phone off for 24 hours, to the seemingly slight, such as reorganising your phone's home screen so you can't see the bright, tempting colours of your favourite apps the second you turn it on.Caroline Crampton
The Netflix interface—the home screen that greets users when they open the app—is constantly evolving.James Titcomb

Examples of home screen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead of tucking away icons under menus, those icons are all visible from the home screen. PC Magazine, 19 May 2025 Swipe down on the home screen to bring up a settings menu, swipe up to scroll through an app drawer, swipe right for notifications, and swipe left to scroll through a customizable list of interactable information tiles. PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025 Swiping up on the home screen brings up all the phone's apps. PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025 For example, Android has a consistent way to move back either within an app or from an app to the home screen by swiping to the right. Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for home screen

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of home screen was in 1948

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Cite this Entry

“Home screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/home%20screen. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

home screen

noun
1
2
: the graphical user interface that is displayed by default by an electronic device (as a smartphone or computer) or software application and that provides quick access to commonly used functions and settings
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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