skeuomorphism

American  

[skyoo-uh-mawr-fiz-uhm] / ˌskyu əˈmɔr fɪz əm /

noun

1. the quality or fact of having, incorporating, or using skeumorphs in an object or design.

   In a talk on skeuomorphism in Greek temples, the professor explained that the detailed stonework carving was intended to reproduce the look of wooden beams.

2. a style of digital design marked by three-dimensional graphics that mimic physical objects, either for decoration or to assist the user interface.

   After 2007, there was a radical shift in the design community away from skeuomorphism and toward purely digital representations.

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Etymology

Origin of skeuomorphism

First recorded in 2000–05; skeuomorph ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )