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• button
  button

  noun

  a small disk, knob, or the like for sewing or otherwise attaching to an article, as of clothing, serving as a fastening when passed through a buttonhole or loop.
• Button
  Button

  noun

  Richard Totten Dick, born 1929, U.S. figure skater.

button

¹ American  

[buht-n] / ˈbʌt n /

noun

• buttons
  plural

1. a small disk, knob, or the like for sewing or otherwise attaching to an article, as of clothing, serving as a fastening when passed through a buttonhole or loop.

2. anything resembling a button, especially in being small and round, as any of various candies, ornaments, tags, identification badges, reflectors, markers, etc.

3. a badge or emblem bearing a name, slogan, identifying figure, etc., for wear on the lapel, dress, etc..

   campaign buttons.

4. any small knob or disk pressed to activate an electric circuit, release a spring, or otherwise operate or open a machine, small door, toy, etc.

5. Botany. a bud or other protuberant part of a plant.

6. Mycology.

   1. a young or undeveloped mushroom.

   2. any protuberant part of a fungus.

7. Zoology. any of various small parts or structures resembling a button, as the rattle at the tip of the tail in a very young rattlesnake.

8. Boxing Informal. the point of the chin.

9. Also called turn button.  a fastener for a door, window, etc., having two arms and rotating on a pivot that is attached to the frame.

10. Metallurgy. (in assaying) a small globule or lump of metal at the bottom of a crucible after fusion.

11. Fencing. the protective, blunting knob fixed to the point of a foil.

12. Horology. crown.

13. Computers. (in a graphical user interface) a small, button-shaped or clearly defined area that the user can click on or touch to choose an option.

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verb (used with object)

• buttons,
  present (3rd person singular)
• buttoned,
  past participle,  past
• buttoning
  present participle

1. to fasten with a button or buttons.

   She quickly buttoned her coat.

2. to insert (a button) in a buttonhole or loop.

   He buttoned the top button of his shirt.

3. to provide (something) with a button or buttons.

verb (used without object)

• buttons,
  present (3rd person singular)
• buttoned,
  past participle,  past
• buttoning
  present participle

1. to be capable of being buttoned.

   This coat buttons, but that one zips.

idioms

1. have all one's buttons, to be mentally competent, alert, and sane; have all one's wits.

   At 106 she still has all her buttons.

2. button up,

   1. Also button one's lip. to become or keep silent.

   2. to fasten securely; close up.

      Within a short time, everything on the submarine was buttoned up.

   3. to fasten fully or put on, especially an outer garment.

      Button up before going out.

   4. to complete successfully; finish.

      The report is all buttoned up.

3. on the button, exactly as desired, expected, specified, etc..

   The prediction for snow was right on the button.

Button ² American  

[buht-n] / ˈbʌt n /

noun

1. Richard Totten Dick, born 1929, U.S. figure skater.

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button British  

/ ˈbʌtən /

noun

1. a disc or knob of plastic, wood, etc, attached to a garment, etc, usually for fastening two surfaces together by passing it through a buttonhole or loop

2. a small round object, such as any of various sweets, decorations, or badges

3. a small disc that completes an electric circuit when pushed, as one that operates a doorbell or machine

4. a symbolic representation of a button on the screen of a computer that is notionally depressed by manipulating the mouse to initiate an action

5. biology any rounded knoblike part or organ, such as an unripe mushroom

6. fencing the protective knob fixed to the point of a foil

7. a small amount of metal, usually lead, with which gold or silver is fused, thus concentrating it during assaying

8. the piece of a weld that pulls out during the destructive testing of spot welds

9. rowing a projection around the loom of an oar that prevents it slipping through the rowlock

10. an object of no value (esp in the phrase not worth a button )

11. slang intellect; mental capacity (in such phrases as a button short , to have all one's buttons , etc)

12. informal exactly; precisely

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verb

1. to fasten with a button or buttons

2. (tr) to provide with buttons

3. (tr) fencing to hit (an opponent) with the button of one's foil

4. to stop talking: often imperative

button More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing button

• cute as a button
• have all one's buttons
• on the button
• push (press) someone's buttons
• push the panic button

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• buttoner
  noun
• misbutton
  verb (used with object)
• rebutton
  verb (used with object)
• buttonless
  adjective
• buttonlike
  adjective
• buttony
  adjective
• misbuttoned
  adjective
• well-buttoned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• buttons
  plural

Participles

• buttoning
  present
• buttoned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• button
  simple
• buttons
  simple
• have buttoned
  perfect
• has buttoned
  perfect
• am buttoning
  progressive
• are buttoning
  progressive
• is buttoning
  progressive
• have been buttoning
  perfect progressive
• has been buttoning
  perfect progressive

Past

• buttoned
  simple
• had buttoned
  perfect
• was buttoning
  progressive
• were buttoning
  progressive
• had been buttoning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will button
  simple
• will have buttoned
  perfect
• will be buttoning
  progressive
• will have been buttoning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of button

1275–1325; Middle English boto ( u ) n < Anglo-French: rosehip, button, stud; Middle French boton, equivalent to boter to butt ³ + -on noun suffix

Explanation

A button is a small, flat, round object often found on clothing. It can also describe the round disc you press to turn on an electronic device, like the button you push to turn on your computer. The noun button also can refer to the little round billboards people pin to their clothes to display their favorite political candidate, band, organization, or saying. Button can also be a verb, which describes the act of fastening buttons, like when you button your shirt. Or if you work at an electronics factory, your job might be to button, or attach buttons to, a cell phone.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

button Button buttons buttoned buttoning

“It was like the moment I pushed that button to submit for prior authorization, they didn’t even wait for my physician’s paperwork,” Noonan said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

In the lion-shaped appearance of the nebula, this stellar remnant resembles a small button nose.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

Throughout the show, his chosen family is on stage with him, punctuating his stories with songs that give each anecdote an emotional button.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

After a third unsuccessful attempt, I pressed the customer-service button.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Lou Ann nods and Celia presses the button.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

“Despite the goal with these incentives being to attract filmmaking and lead to economic stimulus, that’s not materialized in the data,” Button said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

The spooky inhabitants of the mansion, Button House, come from a variety of historial periods, ranging from prehistoric man right through to the modern day.

From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026

"The risk of a falling dollar is that that inflation re-accelerates," said Button, who sees a risk that investors will view a declining dollar as a sign other US assets should be avoided.

From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026

Dick Button, who brought figure skating to American audiences as the first U.S. skater to win an Olympic gold medal and then as a longtime commentator, died Jan. 30 at 95.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025

“Perhaps if we can find Simon in prison and obtain his freedom, we can resume Plan A after lunch. Button your coats, please.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Secular Israelis were prepared with a counter-protest, blowing whistles to drown out the chants and with some wearing pink lapel buttons showing a middle finger.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

Scan a QR code, tap a few buttons and the money moves instantly.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

I put tape on some of the many buttons in order to locate them by touch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

But to see him moving the levers and pushing buttons was fascinating.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

I don’t realize what it is until I flip it open and see the buttons on the inside.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

The dispute is by no means buttoned up, with the case heading into a second phase of arbitration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

Appearing remotely via video-link wearing a partially buttoned pale blue shirt, Brand, the ex-husband of popstar Katy Perry, only spoke to confirm his name and his date of birth.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026

A year after graduating, he began designing menswear at Stirling Copper and was responsible for the body-hugging, buttoned trousers Sir Mick Jagger wore during The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter tour in 1969.

From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2025

The first episode featured a noticeably stiff Piker standing in front of the camera, wearing a lavender shirt buttoned up to his collar.

From Slate ● Feb. 18, 2025

By the time I buttoned my clothes and tucked in my tzitzis, I felt a bit more in control.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Instead of clocking into a cubicle for a traditional 9-to-5 and buttoning corporate uniforms each morning, some new grads are spinning records from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. or writing Substack newsletters from cafes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

His alleged infractions included not washing his face at a specified time and not buttoning his clothing properly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2024

Ms Thompson said that despite 2024 looking like it will be a challenging year, households are very good at adapting to a new lending landscape and "buttoning down the hatches."

From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2023

We first hear the song as Tony is getting ready to go out, blow-drying his hair, trying on various gold chains and meticulously buttoning his best dress shirt.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2022

“What are you going to do with yourselves after you get settled?” asked Jo, buttoning Amy’s cloak as she used to button her pinafores.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• dial
• knob
• switch