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Glite Dictionary
cascading menu

cascading menu

5.1
A small menu that appears beside a main menu when you hover to show more choices
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : menú desplegable
  • The cascading menus provide more options for users.

Examples

  • The application allows users to access advanced features through a cascading menu.

  • Hover over the item to see the cascading menu.

  • Hovering over 'File' opens a cascading menu with more file management options.

  • Many modern interfaces employ the cascading menu to organize functions efficiently.

  • When you hover over the file menu, a cascading menu appears, showing more options to choose from.

  • To access additional settings, simply place your cursor over the main options, and a cascading menu will drop down.

  • You can easily navigate through the software using the cascading menu that reveals icons and commands when hovered.

Synonyms

submenu
vscascading menu
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A small menu that opens from a main menu when you move the mouse over an item

is the same but emphasizes showing extra options from the primary menu
hierarchical menu
vscascading menu
  • Specialized
6.2

A menu that shows smaller menus when you move the mouse over or click an item

is specifically about a secondary menu that appears when hovering over primary items

How Complex

cascading menu
  • Specialized
5.1
drop-down menu
  • Specialized
4 3.2
menu
  • Specialized
117 1.2

Surface Forms

cascading menu singular
cascading menus plural

Morphology

cascade + menu

The meaning of 'cascading menu' follows directly from combining 'cascade' (to flow or fall in stages) with 'menu' (a list of options): it denotes a menu that 'flows out' from another menu as submenus. This adjectival composition is a predictable GUI metaphor that a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer.

Etymology

Cascading menu comes from the image of a small menu that cascades like falling water or steps from one level to the next. When you move the mouse over a main item, the next menu appears beside it like a falling layer, so the name explains why it shows extra 'options'.