flat design

American  

[flat di-zahyn] / ˈflæt dɪˌzaɪn /

noun

1. a style of digital design marked by flat, simple graphics, usually intended to look minimalist and utilitarian.

   Here’s a good example of flat design making a potentially very complicated UI design look clean and intuitive.

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Etymology

Origin of flat design

First recorded in 2015–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flat design

Conventional patch type hemostatic products are widely used in medicine, but their flat design makes them difficult to apply to deep, irregular, or complex wounds.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026

Image: Microsoft While Microsoft unveiled impressive 3D emoji and promised they would be part of Windows 11, the company surprisingly reverted to a 2D flat design without explanation.

From The Verge ● Jan. 31, 2022

The monumental structure doesn’t come into view until you are directly beneath it, a virtue of its relatively flat design.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2021

Between the flat design and fun colors, it feels like a Frisbee that plays music.

From Slate ● Dec. 18, 2015

In fact, “intention,” “place,” and “shape” are necessary motives and limits to a flat design.

From Needlework As Art by Marianne Margaret Compton Cust, Viscountess Alford