the top of a desk
"She carefully placed her laptop on the clean desktop before starting her workday."
(computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear
"After minimizing all my open programs, I dragged a new folder icon directly onto the empty desktop to organize my files."
The top surface of a desk.
"Please wipe down the desktop before you set your coffee cup on it."
In plain English: A desktop is the main screen area on your computer where you can see and click on your apps and files.
"I kept my keys on the desktop while I finished working on the computer."
Usage: Use "desktop" to refer specifically to the flat working surface of a desk where items like papers or computers are placed. Avoid using it to describe the room itself or the furniture frame, which should be called a "desk."
Designed for use on a desk or similar piece of furniture.
"The new computer tower sits neatly on my wooden desktop, ready for work each morning."
In plain English: Desktop means something that is designed to be used on a computer screen instead of being part of the physical machine itself.
"The desktop computer took up most of the space in the office."
Usage: Use "desktop" as an adjective to describe hardware or software specifically designed to be used with a personal computer sitting on a desk, such as a desktop monitor or desktop version of an app. Avoid using it to modify objects that are merely placed on a surface unless they are intended for stationary home or office computing.
The word desktop is a straightforward combination of the words desk and top. It was first used to describe the flat surface on which computer equipment sits, mirroring how physical objects were arranged on an actual writing desk.