DESKTOP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does desktop mean? 

• DESKTOP (noun)
  The noun DESKTOP has 2 senses:

1. the top of a desk

2. (computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear

  Familiarity information: DESKTOP used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DESKTOP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The top of a desk

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("desktop" is a kind of...):

top; top side; upper side; upside (the highest or uppermost side of anything)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

background; desktop; screen background

Hypernyms ("desktop" is a kind of...):

CRT screen; screen (the display that is electronically created on the surface of the large end of a cathode-ray tube)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

 Context examples 

A desktop conferencing system consists of a computer, an attached video camera, microphone, and speakers, and a telephone or network connection.

(Desktop Video, NCI Thesaurus)

The Computer Service Shared Resource provides Cancer Center members with the technical support related to computer issues: desktop computer assistance, upgrades, hardware and software related problems, problems maintenance of file/mail/Internet servers, security and backup systems, computer purchase assistance, network topology, operations management, data base administration, Web site development.

(Computer Service Shared Resource, NCI Thesaurus)

A videoconferencing system that can be used by an individual from a desktop computer.

(Desktop Video, NCI Thesaurus)