desk·top
ˈdesk-ˌtäp 
1
: the top surface of a desk
also
: an area or window on a computer screen in which icons are arranged in a manner analogous to objects on top of a desk
2
: a desktop computer
: of a size that can be conveniently used on a desk or table
desktop computers
compare laptop see also desktop publishing
Examples of desktop in a Sentence
Noun
The desktop was covered with books and stacks of papers.
He created a new folder on his desktop.
Adjective
She is working on a desktop video project.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Burek, PC Magazine, 29 May 2026
But on Thursday, right as registration opened, the desktop version of the website crashed.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 12 May 2026
On Monday, OpenAI launched its latest salvo in the battle, with the debut of a desktop app version of Codex coding assistant.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desktop
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Noun
Too big for easy commuting or campus-schlepping, the 17-incher was always meant to be a couch-surfing machine or a laptop that would mostly stay put, for folks with aging eyes who still wanted something nominally mobile, and not a desktop or an AIO PC.
—John Burek, PC Magazine, 29 May 2026
But on Thursday, right as registration opened, the desktop version of the website crashed.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Adjective
Google has been encouraging app developers to make apps react to the size of the screen for a few years now, and that now translates to encouraging app makers to make desktop versions of their Android apps for Googlebooks.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 12 May 2026
On Monday, OpenAI launched its latest salvo in the battle, with the debut of a desktop app version of Codex coding assistant.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desktop
Cite this Entry
“Desktop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desktop. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desktop
1 of 2 noun
desk·top
ˈdesk-ˌtäp
1
a
: the top of a desk
b
: an area on a computer screen in which items are arranged as if on top of a desk
2
: a desktop computer
desktop
2 of 2 adjective
: of a size that is suitable for use on a desk or table
a desktop computer
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