Learn in the textbookTouch Gestures, Windows, and Icons
DefinitionAn icon (アイコン) is an on-screen marker that represents a file, function, application, or the like with a small picture.
ExplanationEven without reading any text, you can tell from the picture what it stands for, and clicking or tapping it opens or runs it. Being able to operate intuitively without relying on words helps make a GUI easy to use.
AnalogyIt can be compared to a road sign that conveys its meaning through a picture, even without words.
Memory hookThe word comes from the Greek "eikon", meaning "image".