joystick

noun

A control device with an upright handle on a base, often fitted with buttons, used to steer aircraft, play video games, or operate machinery.

Example sentences

“He moved the joystick to steer the spaceship through the asteroids.”
“The crane operator lifted the steel beam using a small joystick in the cab.”

Originally aviation slang for a plane's control stick; gaming borrowed the word decades later.

Synonyms for joystick

control stick

Related words

controllerA person or device that directs or manages something.earbudsTiny earphones that sit inside the ear, used for listening to music or calls from portable devices.consoleA control panel with displays and input controls used to operate and monitor an electronic system.speakerA device that turns electronic signals into sound, used with phones, computers, and music systems.modemA device that converts computer data into signals that can travel over a telephone line, and back again, so computers can connect to each other.microphoneA piece of equipment that turns sound into an electrical signal so it can be recorded, amplified, or broadcast.