Home Office Glossary: 24 Terms Explained
The words that show up in home office specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon. Open any term for the full explanation and what to look for when buying.
- Anti-fatigue mat
- A cushioned mat that reduces the strain of standing still on hard flooring, often used with a standing desk.
- Read more about anti-fatigue mat
- Cable management
- The practice and products used to route, bundle and hide the power and data cables running across and under a desk.
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- Color temperature
- A measurement, in kelvins, of how warm-yellow or cool-blue a light source looks, used to describe desk lamps and light bars.
- Read more about color temperature
- Desk converter
- A riser placed on top of an existing desk that lifts the keyboard and monitor to standing height without replacing the desk.
- Read more about desk converterRelated: Best Standing Desk Converters for Home Offices (2026)
- Docking station
- A hub that connects to a laptop through one cable and provides multiple monitor, USB, network and charging ports.
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- Dual motor
- A standing desk frame built with a motor in each leg instead of one, generally giving steadier and stronger lifting.
- Read more about dual motorRelated: Best Electric Adjustable Desks for Home Offices (2026)
- Elbow height
- The height of your relaxed, bent elbow, used as the reference point for setting desk and keyboard height correctly.
- Read more about elbow height
- Eye level
- The height at which the top of a monitor should sit relative to your eyes, roughly at or just below eye height.
- Read more about eye level
- Footrest
- A raised platform for your feet, used when a desk or chair height leaves your feet unable to rest flat on the floor.
- Read more about footrestRelated: Best Under-Desk Footrests for Home Offices (2026)
- Kneeling chair
- A chair without a standard backrest that tilts the pelvis forward, splitting weight between the seat and a lower shin pad.
- Read more about kneeling chair
- Lumbar support
- Support for the natural inward curve of the lower back, built into a chair's backrest or added afterward with a cushion.
- Read more about lumbar supportRelated: Best Lumbar Support Pillows for Home Offices (2026)
- Monitor arm
- A clamp or grommet-mounted arm that holds a screen and lets you set its height, depth and angle, freeing up desk space.
- Read more about monitor armRelated: Best Single Monitor Arms for Home Offices (2026)
- Monitor light bar
- A lamp that clips or sits on top of a monitor and lights the desk from above without shining glare onto the screen.
- Read more about monitor light barRelated: Best Monitor Light Bars (2026)
- Monitor riser
- A stand or platform placed under a monitor to raise it closer to eye level, often with storage space underneath.
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- Privacy filter
- A darkened film applied to a monitor screen that narrows the viewing angle so the display looks blank from the side.
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- Seat depth adjustment
- A sliding seat pan that changes the gap between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees.
- Read more about seat depth adjustmentRelated: Best Ergonomic Office Chairs for Home Offices (2026)
- Sit-stand desk
- A desk that adjusts between sitting and standing heights, usually with an electric motor and memory presets.
- Read more about sit-stand deskRelated: Best Standing Desks for Home Offices (2026)
- Split keyboard
- A keyboard divided into two separate halves, or two connected sections, positioned to keep the wrists straight while typing.
- Read more about split keyboardRelated: Best Ergonomic Split Keyboards (2026)
- Surge protector
- A power strip built with circuitry that absorbs voltage spikes, protecting connected electronics from sudden power surges.
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- Trackball
- A pointing device with a stationary ball moved by the fingers or thumb, keeping the rest of the hand and wrist still.
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- Ultrawide monitor
- A display with a wider aspect ratio than a standard screen, giving extra horizontal space instead of using two separate monitors.
- Read more about ultrawide monitor
- Vertical mouse
- A mouse shaped to be held in a handshake position, which reduces the inward forearm twist used by a standard mouse.
- Read more about vertical mouseRelated: Best Vertical Mice for Wrist Comfort (2026)
- VESA mount
- The standardized screw hole pattern on the back of most monitors, such as 75 by 75 or 100 by 100 millimeters, used to attach arms and stands.
- Read more about vesa mountRelated: Best VESA Mount Adapters for Home Offices (2026)
- Wrist rest
- A padded support placed in front of a keyboard or mouse that cushions the wrist during pauses in typing.
- Read more about wrist rest