As a noun, a button is a small fastener used to close clothing or a small control you press to operate a device. As a verb, it means to fasten something with buttons.
From Old French 'bouton' meaning 'bud, knob, stud,' related to 'bouter' meaning 'to push.' It entered English in the Middle Ages for clothing fasteners. Later, the same word was reused for pushable controls on machines and electronics.
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