Layout

How it is used

Used constantly in design and front-end work: a two-column layout, a card layout, the mobile layout. Layouts are usually built on a grid. The verb is 'lay out', written as two words: 'Lay out the cards in three columns.'

Example sentences

1. The desktop layout works, but on mobile the sidebar pushes the content down.

2. Let's try a simpler layout with one main column.

Common collocations

• page layout
• responsive layout
• two-column layout
• rework the layout

Related terms

• gridA set of invisible columns, rows and gaps that designers use to place and align elements consistently across a page or screen.
• white spaceThe empty space between and around elements on a page, which gives content room to breathe, groups related items and makes the design easier to read.
• visual hierarchyThe use of size, colour, contrast, spacing and position on a screen so that people notice the most important elements first and read the rest in a clear order.
• responsive designAn approach in which a layout automatically adapts to different screen sizes, from phones to large monitors, so the same product works well on all of them.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• layout · Software Engineering
• layout · Web Development
• layout · Architecture
• layout · Graphic Design
• layout · Interior Design

More terms: Visual Design and Layout

• typography
• color palette
• alignment
• spacing
• breakpoint
• pixel-perfect