joystick
n.a handle that you move in different directions to control a computer game or a machine. It usually has buttons on it to perform specific actions.
n.a control device consisting of a handheld stick that pivots on a base to transmit its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Frequently used in gaming and aviation contexts.
“He moved the joystick to the left to steer the plane.”
“Modern flight simulators use a high-precision joystick to mimic the feel of a real cockpit control system.”
“The operator carefully manipulated the joystick to guide the robotic arm through the narrow opening in the reactor wall.”
From joy + stick. First attested around 1910 (as joy-stick) as the control stick on an airplane. Its relation to the word joy is unclear.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.