A word for a symbol which has outlived its origin


I am quite sure that there is a word for a symbol which was originated by a real-life, physical prototype but has since then outlived its origin.


Most notable example: the save button with floppy drive on it. Also, to a lesser degree, envelopes in email clients, and so on.


The "anachronism" or "metonymy" are close, but not exactly what I'm searching for.



Answer



A skeuomorph is "a derivative object that retains ornamental design cues to a structure that was necessary in the original."


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

etymology - Since when has "a hot minute" meant a long time?

etymology - Origin of "s--t eating grin"

usage - "there doesn't seem" vs. "there don't seem"

First floor vs ground floor, usage origin

meaning - What is synonyme of "scale"?

punctuation - Is "et al" always accompanied by a period?

grammatical number - "My wide range of abilities have/has helped"