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

• gadget

Examples of widget in a Sentence

manufacturers of all kinds of widgets for the do-it-yourselfer

Recent Examples on the Web

The new widget will include buttons that activate Copilot Vision or spoken AI conversations with one click. —Jordan Novet, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025

Then through the Build-A-Look widget, shoppers can scroll through many items across categories, to change the outfit in different ways. —David Moin, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2025

Sadly, there is no perfect widget out there. —Jess Bryant, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025

Of course, the big draw here is the exterior screen, and Motorola has been rolling out new widgets and compatible apps for the smaller display. —Brad Bourque, Wired News, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of gadget

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for widget

• digit
• fidget
• midget