joystick

or joy stick

[ joi-stik ]

noun

1. Informal. the control stick of an airplane, tank, or other vehicle.
2. Computers. a lever resembling this, used to control movement of a cursor or other graphic element for video games and computer graphics. Compare mouse ( def 4 ), stylus ( def 3 ).
3. any leverlike switch for controlling, manipulating, guiding, or the like.

joystick

/ ˈdʒɔɪˌstɪk /

noun

1. informal.
   the control stick of an aircraft or of any of various machines
2. computing a lever by means of which the display on a screen may be controlled used esp for games, flight simulators, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of joystick¹

First recorded in 1905–10; joy + stick ¹

Example Sentences

“They basically have a joystick controlling the robot dog as it walks around,” said Missy Cummings, an engineering professor at George Mason University who runs the university’s Autonomy and Robotics Center.

From BBC

His motorized wheelchair whirring to life, “Rocket Rod” Foster uses the joystick attached to the end of an armrest to roll forward inside his West Los Angeles apartment.

From Los Angeles Times

They manoeuvre joysticks on what look like large retro game-controllers, as the arms pull used nuclear fuel rods – still glowing hot and highly radioactive - from the heavy metal containers in which they arrived.

From BBC

There’s a hostile jet on my tail, and no matter how I push the joystick, or play with the throttle, this enemy is still there.

From BBC

From the safety of a room hundreds of miles away, the drones’ pilots pushed forward joysticks to accelerate, steer and swivel deck-mounted cameras, keeping their target in sight.

From New York Times