joystick

noun

joy·​stick ˈjȯi-ˌstik 

1

: a lever in an airplane that operates the elevators by a fore-and-aft motion and the ailerons by a side-to-side motion

2

: a control for any of various devices (such as a computer) that resembles an airplane's joystick especially in being capable of motion in two or more directions

Examples of joystick in a Sentence

This game works with either a mouse or joystick.

Recent Examples on the Web

Engineers and operators send coordinates and flight plans directly to the drones, with no need for a joystick or controller to manually maneuver the aircraft. —Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026

These Star Wars games also standardized joystick controls in space sims — something that can still be felt in modern space sims to this day — and included precision flight physics and innovative mission design to keep players immersed in its impressive recreation of the Star Wars universe. —Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026

Of the four astronauts, only Wiseman, the commander, and Glover, the pilot, have a control panel in front of them, with three flat readout screens, a cursor control (a mouse wouldn’t work in microgravity), and two joysticks for attitude and translational movement of the spacecraft. —IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2026

The robot was controlled using a joystick, enabling precise manual adjustments. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from English slang joystick penis

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for joystick

• broomstick
• dipstick
• homesick
• lipstick
• nonstick
• pickwick
• picnic
• redbrick
• seasick
• sidekick
• slapstick
• toothpick

Kids Definition

joystick

noun

joy·​stick -ˌstik 

: a control lever for a device (as a computer display or an airplane) that allows motion in two or more directions