interface
The place where two different things meet and interact.
An interface is the place where two different things meet and interact with each other. In technology, it usually means the part of a computer, phone, or device that lets you communicate with it. The screen you touch, the buttons you press, the menus you click: that's the user interface, because it's where you (the user) connect with the machine.
Think of it like a translator between you and the computer. You can't reach inside and rearrange the circuits, but you can tap icons, type commands, or swipe your finger, and the interface converts those actions into instructions the computer understands. A good interface makes complicated technology feel simple and natural to use.
The word works beyond technology too. In science, an interface might be where water meets air, or where two different materials touch. When teachers talk about the interface between art and science, they mean the place where these subjects overlap and influence each other. Wherever two different systems, materials, or ideas come together and affect each other, that's an interface.
As a verb, interface means to connect or work together through an interface, especially in technology. Two devices might interface so they can share information, or a program might interface with a database to get the data it needs. The key is always about connection and interaction between different things.