Agency Dictionary

Button

noun

In Portuguese: Botão

What does “Button” mean?

A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.

Etymology

From Old French boton (modern French bouton), "bud, knob, button", from the verb boter, "to push, to thrust", a word of Germanic origin. The idea is of something that pushes out, like a bud. In English since the Middle Ages for the fastener on clothes. In the 19th century the word was applied to the knob pressed to work an electric device, and from there it passed to the controls drawn on a screen.

Usage note

Common in idioms taken from machines and clothes: to push someone's buttons, on the button, buttoned-up.

Synonyms

knob
switch
key
control
push-button

Often confused with

bottom: Bottom, "the lowest part", is close in sound and spelling and is often swapped with button by learners of English.

Word family

buttonhole
unbutton
buttoned
push-button

Rhymes with

glutton
mutton

Usage examples

Because UX/UI designers always know where a button should go.
Design.2 - Demystifying UX/UI Design Pt.1
But there is absolutely nothing intuitive about putting a button so far away from the actual device that it interacts with.

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Design.2 - Demystifying UX/UI Design Pt.1June 8, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

recipientnoun: The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
Superfluousadjective: Exceeding what is sufficient, necessary, or useful.
Typographynoun: The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing. It encompasses typeface selection, point size, line spacing, tracking, and spatial kerning.
iconnoun: A simplified image that represents a thing by resembling it. In semiotics, a sign that signifies through likeness; in digital interfaces, a small picture that stands for an object or a function.
symbolismnoun: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, and the set of meanings that a form, an image or an object carries beyond its literal sense.
Desaturationnoun: The progressive loss or removal of chromatic intensity, rendering a color closer to a neutral gray.
Rendernoun: A finished two-dimensional image or video generated from a three-dimensional mathematical scene by computer software. It synthesizes geometric coordinates, lighting algorithms, textures, and shading into final pixels.
pain pointnoun: A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
syntheticadjective: Produced by artificial or chemical synthesis rather than originating from natural or organic processes.

Also from these editions: terms

Consumernoun: An individual or group that acquires, purchases, or consumes physical or commercial goods and services for personal use. In marketing, consumers are studied for purchasing patterns and brand preferences.
Astronautnoun: A person trained and equipped to travel and operate beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. In space exploration, astronauts perform scientific experiments and navigate spacecraft under extreme conditions.
Screennoun: A flat physical display surface on an electronic device that projects visual images, interfaces, and text to a viewer. It serves as the primary visual output medium for modern personal computers and mobile phones.
wireframenoun: A skeletal visual guide that outlines the basic structure, hierarchy, and functionality of a user interface.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
briefingnoun: A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
intangibleadjective: Incapable of being perceived by touch or physical senses, yet possessing recognizable economic or conceptual worth.
Prototypenoun: An early preliminary model of a product from which subsequent forms and manufactured copies are developed and refined.
UX Designnoun: User Experience Design: the discipline focused on the overall experience a person has when interacting with a product, including usability, accessibility, and satisfaction.
Spacesuitnoun: A pressurized protective garment worn by astronauts to survive the harsh vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation of outer space. It incorporates life support, thermal insulation, and communications equipment.
Softwarenoun: The complete set of instructions, programs, algorithms, and data that direct a computer hardware system to perform specific tasks. It is intangible, adaptable, and easily updated across network connections.
Layoutnoun: The spatial arrangement and structural distribution of text, images, and visual elements on a printed page or digital screen. It establishes visual order, reading flow, and aesthetic harmony within a composition.