joystick
joystick Lexical Profile
joystick Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A manual control or input device consisting of a vertical lever that can be moved in various directions to control the action of a computer program, especially a video game.
"She aggressively tilted the joystick to the left to dodge the incoming missiles on the arcade screen."
The principal control column of an aircraft, used by the pilot to adjust the elevators and ailerons for governing altitude and direction.
"The pilot pulled back gently on the joystick to raise the nose of the plane during takeoff."
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated as early 20th-century aviation slang (circa 1910) for an aircraft's control column, later widely adopted by the computer and video game industries in the 1970s for gaming input devices.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.