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Definition key

Etymology 1

From Middle English keye, kaye, kei?e, from Old English c??, c??e, c?ga (“key, solution, experiment”) (whence also Scots key and kay (“key”)), of uncertain origin. Related to Old English c?ggian (“to lock, shut”). The only sure cognates are Saterland Frisian Koai (“key”), West Frisian kaai (“key”), and North Frisian kay (“key”). Possibly from Proto-Germanic *k?gaz, *k?guz (“stake, post, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *?og?-, *?eg?-, *?eg?n- (“branch, stake, bush”), which would make it cognate with Middle Low German k?k (“whipping post, pillory”), and perhaps to Middle Dutch keige (“javelin, spear”) and Middle Low German keie, keige (“spear”). For the semantic development, note that medieval keys were simply long poles (ending in a hook) with which a crossbar obstructing a door from the inside could be removed from the outside, by lifting it through a hole in the door. Liberman has noted, however, "The original meaning of *kaig-jo- was presumably '*pin with a twisted end.' Words with the root *kai- followed by a consonant meaning 'crooked, bent; twisted' are common only in the North Germanic languages."

Noun

key (plural keys)

  1. An object designed to open and close a lock.
  2. An object designed to fit between two other objects (such as a shaft and a wheel) in a mechanism and maintain their relative orientation.
  3. A crucial step or requirement.
  4. A guide explaining the symbols or terminology of a map or chart; a legend.
  5. A guide to the correct answers of a worksheet or test.
  6. (computing) One of several small, usually square buttons on a typewriter or computer keyboard, mostly corresponding to text characters.
  7. (music)
    1. In musical instruments, one of the valve levers used to select notes, such as a lever opening a hole on a woodwind.
    2. In instruments with a keyboard such as an organ or piano, one of the levers, or especially the exposed front end of it, which are depressed to cause a particular sound or note to be produced.
  8. (music)
    1. The lowest note of a scale; keynote.
    2. In musical theory, the total melodic and harmonic relations, which exist between the tones of an ideal scale, major or minor; tonality.
    3. In musical theory and notation, the tonality centering in a given tone, or the several tones taken collectively, of a given scale, major or minor.
    4. In musical notation, a sign at the head of a staff indicating the musical key.
  9. (figuratively) The general pitch or tone of a sentence or utterance.
  10. (advertising) A modification of an advertisement so as to target a particular group or demographic.
  11. (botany) An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a wing, such as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara.
  12. (historical) A manual electrical switching device primarily used for the transmission of Morse code.
  13. (cryptography) A piece of information (e.g. a passphrase) used to encode or decode a message or messages.
  14. (Internet) A password restricting access to an IRC channel.
  15. (databases) In a relational database, a field used as an index into another table (not necessarily unique).
  16. (computing) A value that uniquely identifies an entry in a container.
  17. (basketball) The free-throw lane together with the circle surrounding the free-throw line, the free-throw lane having formerly been narrower, giving the area the shape of a skeleton key hole.
  18. (biology) A series of logically organized groups of discriminating information which aims to allow the user to correctly identify a taxon.
  19. (architecture) A piece of wood used as a wedge.
  20. (architecture) The last board of a floor when laid down.
  21. (masonry) A keystone.
  22. That part of the plastering which is forced through between the laths and holds the rest in place.
  23. (rail transport) A wooden support for a rail on the bullhead rail system.
  24. The degree of roughness, or retention ability of a surface to have applied a liquid such as paint, or glue.
  25. (cartomancy) The thirty-third card of the Lenormand deck.
  26. (print and film) The black ink layer, especially in relation to the three color layers of cyan, magenta, and yellow. See also CMYK.
  27. (computer graphics, television) A color to be masked or made transparent.
Adjective

key (comparative more key, superlative most key)

  1. Indispensable, supremely important.
  2. Important, salient.
Verb

key (third-person singular simple present keys, present participle keying, simple past and past participle keyed)

  1. To fit (a lock) with a key.
  2. To fit (pieces of a mechanical assembly) with a key to maintain the orientation between them.
  3. To mark or indicate with a symbol indicating membership in a class.
  4. (telegraphy and radio telegraphy) To depress (a telegraph key).
  5. (radio) To operate (the transmitter switch of a two-way radio).
  6. (computing) (more usually to key in) To enter (information) by typing on a keyboard or keypad.
  7. (colloquial) To vandalize (a car, etc.) by scratching with an implement such as a key.
  8. To link (as one might do with a key or legend).
  9. (intransitive, biology, chiefly taxonomy) To be identified as a certain taxon when using a key.
  10. (advertising, transitive) To modify (an advertisement) so as to target a particular group or demographic.
  11. To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten or tighten with keys or wedges.

Etymology 2

Variant of cay, from Spanish cayo, from Taíno cayo (“small island”)

Noun

key (plural keys)

  1. One of a string of small islands.

Etymology 3

Noun

key (plural keys)

  1. Alternative form of quay.

Etymology 4

Abbreviating kilogram, via kilo.

Noun

key (plural keys)

  1. (slang) Clipping of kilogram (especially of a recreational drug)

Results 462 Words with the letters KEY

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
9 letter words with the letters KEY 
8 letter words with the letters KEY 
7 letter words with the letters KEY 
6 letter words with the letters KEY 
ALKYNE 14
BAKERY 15
BEYLIK 16
CHEEKY 17
CHOKEY 17
COOKEY 15
CREAKY 15
CRIKEY 15
DARKEY 13
DICKEY 16
DINKEY 14
DONKEY 14
DRECKY 16
EUROKY 13
FAKERY 15
FECKLY 19
FLAKEY 16
FLECKY 19
FLUKEY 17
FREAKY 15
HAWKEY 17
HICKEY 17
HOCKEY 17
HONKEY 15
HOOKEY 14
JOCKEY 24
KAYLES 13
KAYOED 13
KAYOES 12
KEENLY 14
KERSEY 12
KEYING 15
KEYPAD 16
KEYSET 12
KEYWAY 17
KIDNEY 14
KYRIES 12
KYTHED 15
KYTHES 14
LACKEY 16
LIKELY 14
MEEKLY 16
MICKEY 18
MONKEY 16
OFFKEY 18
OKAYED 13
PINKEY 16
POKEYS 15
PUNKEY 17
REKEYS 12
RICKEY 15
SKERRY 12
SKYMEN 16
SLEEKY 13
SMOKEY 15
SNAKEY 13
SNEAKY 13
SPIKEY 15
TACKEY 15
TURKEY 13
TWEAKY 15
UNYOKE 14
WEAKLY 16
WEEKLY 16
WHELKY 18
YACKED 16
YAKKED 17
YAKKER 16
YANKED 14
YERKED 13
YEUKED 14
YOCKED 16
YOKELS 13
YOLKED 14
YONKER 13
YUCKED 17
YUKKED 18
5 letter words with the letters KEY 
BEAKY 14
CAKEY 14
DIKEY 12
DYKED 13
DYKES 12
DYKEY 14
ENSKY 12
FAKEY 14
FYKES 14
GEEKY 13
HOKEY 13
JERKY 20
JOKEY 20
KELLY 13
KELPY 15
KERRY 11
KEYED 12
KYRIE 11
KYTES 11
KYTHE 13
LEAKY 12
PEAKY 14
PECKY 17
PERKY 14
PESKY 14
POKEY 14
REEKY 11
REKEY 11
RYKED 12
RYKES 11
SKIEY 11
SKYED 12
SKYEY 13
SYKES 11
TYKES 11
YELKS 12
YERKS 11
YEUKS 12
YEUKY 14
YIKES 11
YOKED 12
YOKEL 12
YOKES 11
4 letter words with the letters KEY 
DYKE 11
FYKE 13
KEYS 10
KYES 10
KYTE 10
RYKE 10
SYKE 10
TYKE 10
YELK 11
YERK 10
YEUK 11
YOKE 10
3 letter words with the letters KEY 
KEY 9
KYE 9
2 letter words with the letters KEY 
YE 4

You can also try words with the phrase KEY, words starting with the letters KEY, or words ending in the letters KEY.