joystick

UK: /ˈdʒɔɪstɪk/ US: /ˈdʒɔɪˌstɪk/ ,( joi′stik′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

joy•stick /ˈdʒɔɪˌstɪk/   n. [countable]

1. Transport, Informal Terms [Informal.] the control stick of an airplane, tank, or other vehicle.
2. Computing a lever used to control the movement of a computer's cursor, as in a video game.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

joy•stick  ( joi′stik′), n. 

1. Transport, Informal Terms [Informal.] the control stick of an airplane, tank, or other vehicle.
2. Computing a lever resembling this, used to control movement of a cursor or other graphic element for video games and computer graphics.
3. Mechanical Engineering any leverlike switch for controlling, manipulating, guiding, or the like.

Also, joy′ stick′. 

• joy + stick¹ 1905–10

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

joystick / ˈdʒɔɪˌstɪk/ noun

1. the control stick of an aircraft or of any of various machines
2. a lever for controlling the display on a screen, used esp for games, flight simulators, etc