Palmtop

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A compact, lightweight computing device that fits in the palm and is primarily operated via a touchscreen interface for efficient mobile tasks
2. A handheld electronic gadget designed for personal computing, employing a user-friendly touch screen for portability and convenience
3. A small, portable computing device used for personal tasks that can be easily held in one hand and usually features a touchscreen for navigation

Etymology: Palmtop is a compound built from "palm" and "top," with the sense "as used in one's palm." The second half follows the pattern of "desktop" and "laptop": a computer named by where it sits or rests. A desktop sits on a desk, a laptop on the lap, and a palmtop fits in the hand. Each name tells you the scale of the machine by the surface it occupies. The word's coinage is what makes it stand out. Rather than inventing a fresh term for a handheld computer, its makers reused the familiar "-top" ending and simply swapped in the body part that the device rests on. That single substitution gives a whole family of names a clear logic, so anyone who knows "laptop" can guess what "palmtop" means without a definition.

Synonyms: handheld computer, pocket PC