Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

widget

/ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.96 in modern English

Syllables: wid-get
IPA: /ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A placeholder name for an unnamed, unspecified, or hypothetical manufactured good or product, typically as an example for purposes of explaining concepts.

noun

A floating device inside a beer can, meant to create foam when opened.

noun

A small scraping tool consisting of a blade and a handle, commonly used to remove paint from glass and other smooth surfaces.

noun

Synonym of tool, implement, device, gadget, part.

Informal

noun

Any one of the components of a computer application's graphical user interface, such as a Cancel button or text input box that a user interacts with.

noun

A small applet that can be placed on the desktop or in a sidebar, etc.

Example Sentences

"Suppose we have a widget factory that produces 100 units per year..."
"Damage inflicted on the rail industry supply chain, from major contractors to widget manufacturers, would have further profound nationwide consequences on an already damaged industry and wrecked economy."
"This weather widget shows the current temperature."

Etymology

Coined by American playwright George S. Kaufman in 1924 in his play Beggar on Horseback (1924). The preface to the 1924 play credits an earlier German work from 1911 where there is an actor Elisabeth Wigge.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/
British English: /ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

widgets (plural)

Phrases

disclosure widget

Synonyms

thingy gizmo sprocket Sorted by number of Google hits widget hickey gimmick thingie jigger gismo gubbins whatsit

Rhymes With

fidget bridgette bridgett midgett digit bridget midget blidget smidget

Questions

How do you pronounce widget?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/.
What does widget mean?: A placeholder name for an unnamed, unspecified, or hypothetical manufactured good or product, typically as an example for purposes of explaining concepts.
Where does widget come from?: Coined by American playwright George S. Kaufman in 1924 in his play Beggar on Horseback (1924). The preface to the 1924 play credits an earlier German work from 1911 where there is an actor Elisabeth Wigge.

How to pronounce widget

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “widget”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈwɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “widget”.
Repeat and practice — Say “widget” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.