widget (redirected from Widget (disambiguation))

widget

Pronounced "wih-jit," for decades, the term has been a popular word for a generic "thing" when there is no real name for it. It is often used to describe examples of made-up products along with other fictitious names; for example, "10 widgets, 5 frabbits and 2 dingits."

Components, Plug-Ins and Mini Apps
In addition to make believe things, the term describes software components for Web services and plug-ins for the Opera Web browser. Widgets are also mini applications for Yahoo's personal home page and the Macintosh desktop (see Mac Dashboard). See gadget and widget set.

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widget

1. Informal any small mechanism or device, the name of which is unknown or temporarily forgotten

2. a small device in a beer can which, when the can is opened, releases nitrogen gas into the beer, giving it a head

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1.		widget - A meta-thing. Used to stand for a real object in didactic examples (especially database tutorials). Legend has it that the original widgets were holders for buggy whips. "But suppose the parts list for a widget has 52 entries..."
2.		widget - [possibly evoking "window gadget"] In graphical user interfaces, a combination of a graphic symbol and some program code to perform a specific function. E.g. a scroll-bar or button. Windowing systems usually provide widget libraries containing commonly used widgets drawn in a certain style and with consistent behaviour.