A button is a small fastener, usually round or flat, that holds pieces of clothing together. You push a button through a small hole called a buttonhole, and it keeps your shirt, jacket, or pants closed. Before zippers and Velcro existed, buttons were one of the main ways people kept their clothes from falling open.

The word also means something you press to make a machine or device work. When you press the power button on a computer, it turns on. Game controllers have buttons for jumping, shooting, or selecting options. Elevators have call buttons that summon them to your floor. The easy button from office supply commercials became famous because people wished life's problems could be solved just by pressing a button.

You might button your coat before going outside in cold weather, or button up your shirt before leaving for school. When someone tells you to button your lip, they're asking you (not very politely) to stop talking. A button nose is a small, round nose that looks cute, like a button sewn on a stuffed animal.

In technology, clickable buttons on websites and apps work just like physical buttons: you press or click them to make something happen. Whether it's fastening your clothes or starting your favorite game, buttons help us control and connect things in our world.