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

Quick fixes, like widgets, aren't always sufficient and can lead to legal issues. —Nayan Padrai, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Janardhanan’s work caught the eye of the company and Nothing’s software team worked with a community developer to create the widget. —Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 4 Dec. 2024

Screen Grab Photograph: Amazon The best feature of the original Echo Show 15 was the widgets. —Nena Farrell, WIRED, 20 Nov. 2024

The key to [success] for these companies is now: Sell the initial widget, then attach an ongoing revenue stream to it. —Verity Burns, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of gadget

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1