user interface

noun

plural user interfaces

: software that is designed to allow a computer user to interact with the operating system of a machine or system (such as by selecting presented options or entering text commands)

Likewise, the user interface is remarkably unintuitive, requiring a whirlwind of relentless mouse clicking to move, talk, touch, look, or manipulate onscreen objects.

—Scott A. May

… a new user interface he vows will change the way people use computers.

—InfoWorld

especially : graphical user interface

—abbreviation UI

Examples of user interface in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The user interface, which previously felt like a placeholder—and a barely functional one at that—has now been given a complete overhaul. —Adam Ismail, The Drive, 25 Mar. 2026

For amnesiac Grace, even using his spaceship’s user interface is a puzzle to solve. —Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 24 Mar. 2026

Over the past few months, Apple has lost a slew of other executives, including user interface chief Alan Dye and head of environment and government affairs Lisa Jackson. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026

ColorOS includes Oppo's Free-Flow Window user interface. —Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for user interface

• asparaginase
• dehydrogenase
• lipoxygenase
• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase

Kids Definition

user interface

noun

: software that is designed to allow a computer user to interact with the operating system of a machine or system

especially : graphical user interface