A desktop is the main screen you see on a computer after it starts up, where icons, folders, and files appear. Just like the top of a real desk holds papers, books, and supplies you're working on, the computer desktop holds the programs and documents you use most often. You might keep a folder of school projects on your desktop, or shortcuts to your favorite games.

The word also refers to a desktop computer: a computer designed to sit on a desk rather than be carried around. Desktop computers typically have a separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse, unlike laptops that fold up into one portable unit. Desktop computers often have more power and bigger screens than laptops, which makes them popular for tasks like video editing, serious gaming, or detailed design work.

Before computers existed, a desktop was simply the flat surface of a desk where you did your work. Today, that original meaning still exists, too.