key
UK /kiː/ · US /ki/ noun, adjective, verb, proper noun
Also a form of cay
Forms keys keyer keyest keying keyed cay ki keye kee
- noun (countable) An object designed to open and close a lock or to activate or deactivate something, especially a length of metal inserted into a narrow opening on the lock to which it is matched (keyed). “This key is to the backdoor.”
- noun A card or fob that electronically signals a lock to open. “My hotel room key is a card.”
- noun (figurative, cryptography) A piece of information (e.g., a password or passphrase) used to encode or decode a message or messages.
- noun (Internet) A password restricting access to an IRC channel.
- noun (slang) A key bump (A portion of a recreational drug in powdered form that is snorted from a key or similar small object.) “I saw him snort a key at the party.”
- noun Any of various tools comparable to a wrench (spanner) or driver, which have a specialized end that matches a fixture, analogously to a lock's key. “The exterminator will bring a key thingy that can open the bait boxes.”
- noun (machinery) A cotter pin.
- noun (architecture) A piece of wood used as a wedge.
- adjective Indispensable, supremely important. “He is the key player on his soccer team.”
- adjective Important, salient. “She makes several key points.”
- verb To fit (a lock) with a key.
- verb To fit (pieces of a mechanical assembly) with a key to maintain the orientation between them.
- verb To mark or indicate with a symbol indicating membership in a class.
- verb (telegraphy and radio telegraphy) To depress (a telegraph key).
- verb (radio) To operate (the transmitter switch of a two-way radio).
- verb (computing) (more usually to key in) To enter (information) by typing on a keyboard or keypad.
- verb (colloquial) To vandalize (a car, etc.) by scratching with an implement such as a key. “He keyed the car that had taken his parking spot.”
- verb To link (as one might do with a key or legend).
- noun One of a string of small islands. “the Florida Keys”
- noun (slang) A kilogram, especially of a recreational drug.
Synonyms
key fob keycard answer key key-fruit kay tonality samara key fruit Francis Scott Key cay Florida key paint winder keystone headstone identify discover key out distinguish describe name cardinal central fundamental primal
Etymology
From Middle English keye, kaye, keiȝe, from Old English cǣġ (“key, solution, experiment”) (whence also Scots key and kay (“key”)), from Anglo-Frisian Proto-West Germanic *kaiju, of uncertain origin. The only sure cognates are Saterland Frisian Koai (“key”), West Frisian kaai (“key”), and North Frisian kai, koie (“key”). Possibly from Proto-Germanic *kēgaz, *kēguz (“stake, post, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵogʰ-, *ǵegʰ-, *ǵegʰn- (“branch, stake, bush”), which would make it cognate with Middle Low German kāk (“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."
Variant of cay, from Spanish cayo, from Taíno cayo (“small island”)
Clipping of kilogram or kilo.
Clipping of key position.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An instrument by means of which the bolt of a lock is shot or drawn; usually, a removable metal instrument fitted to the mechanism of a particular lock and operated by turning in its place.
- noun An instrument which is turned like a key in fastening or adjusting any mechanism; as, a watch key; a bed key, etc.
- verb To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten or tighten with keys or wedges. Francis. To key up. (a) (Arch.) To raise (the whole ring of an arch) off its centering, by driving in the keystone forcibly. (b) (Mus.) To raise the pitch of. (c) Hence, fig., to produce nervous tension in.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “key”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details