Agency Dictionary
Screen
noun
In Portuguese: Tela
Technology & AI
DesignWhat does “Screen” mean?
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.
Etymology
From Middle English scren, from Old French escren or escran, probably from a Germanic source such as Middle Dutch scherm (a protective screen or shield). The original sense was a physical partition against heat or draughts. The sense of a surface on which images are shown arose in the nineteenth century with projected pictures and passed to cinema, television and digital devices.
Usage note
Screen refers both to the physical display surface and to the content shown on it. Screen time means time spent looking at any display device.
Synonyms
- display
- monitor
Word family
- screenplay
- screenshot
- screensaver
Rhymes with
- keen
- seen
- green
- serene
- marine
Usage examples
the more screens there are, the more UX/UI designers we will need
Design.2 - Demystifying UX/UI Design Pt.1 This is crucial for us to investigate because, at this time, a computer didn’t even have a screen and occupied a whole room.
Concepts
- AccessibilityAccessibility is the design and engineering practice of ensuring that products, devices, and environments are usable by people of all abilities, including those with…
- Graphical User InterfaceA graphical user interface is an interactive visual environment that allows human users to communicate with electronic devices through icons, menus, windows, and…
- Human-Computer InteractionHuman-computer interaction is a multidisciplinary field of study focusing on the design and use of computer technology between people and computational systems. It…
- User FlowA user flow is a visual diagram that maps out the path a user takes through an application to complete a specific task. It charts decision points, alternative routes, and…
- User InterfaceA user interface is the point of human-computer interaction and communication on a device, webpage, or application. It encompasses display screens, keyboards, graphical…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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
- Buttonnoun
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Also from these editions: concepts
- User ExperienceUser experience encompasses all aspects of an end user interaction with a company, its services, and its products. It includes perception, utility, ease of use, and…
- Farewell, AuroraFarewell, Aurora (Adeus, Aurora) is a novel by Thiago Patriota, the author of the Agency editorial, published by Editora Sentient in 2022. Its heroine, Aurora, is a…
- Don NormanDon Norman is the author who popularized the term User Experience through his book The Design of Everyday Things. In Design.2, the article credits him as the true author…
- Digital ProductA digital product is an intangible asset, application, or service delivered electronically over digital networks without physical packaging. It delivers utility…
- Information ArchitectureInformation architecture is the practice of organizing, structuring, and labeling content within digital systems and websites. It enables users to navigate complex data…
- MultidisciplinarityMultidisciplinarity is an approach that draws on knowledge, concepts, and methodologies from multiple distinct academic or professional disciplines. Rather than isolating…
- Creative DepartmentThe creative department is the organizational unit within an advertising or design agency responsible for conceiving and executing campaigns and visual assets. It…
- Fabricio TeixeiraFabricio Teixeira is a Brazilian designer and writer associated with the blog UX Collective. In Design.2, he is cited as one of the very few authors who were talking…
- Miles MoralesMiles Morales is a Marvel Comics character, a teenager who takes on the identity of Spider-Man. The Agency editorial names him once, in Design.2, where a Miles Morales…