joystick

Everyday

1. A joystick is a lever that you push in any direction to control a video game, a computer or a machine. tree →
2. A joystick is also the control stick of an aeroplane, used by the pilot to steer it. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, children use joysticks on game controllers; in computing lessons, a joystick is an «input device», like a mouse or keyboard. Powered wheelchairs, cranes, drones and robots are also driven with joysticks. Phrases: «move the joystick», «joystick controller».

Examples

• Push the joystick left to make the car turn. tree →
• My game controller has two joysticks. tree →
• The pilot pulled back on the joystick. tree →
• A joystick is an input device. tree →
• The crane driver used a joystick to lift the beam. tree →
• Grandad steers his electric wheelchair with a small joystick. tree →

Note

Countable; one word. In computing lessons, a joystick is input (information goes into the computer), while a screen is output.